


Run For Your Life

by SoapBoxDerby



Category: Kong: Skull Island (2017), Tomb Raider & Related Fandoms, Tomb Raider (Movie 2018)
Genre: Alicia Vikander - Freeform, Brie Larson - Freeform, F/F, Kong: Skull Island - Freeform, Lara Croft is a dumbass, Mason Weaver is so gay dude, Our girls are very soft, Slow Burn, Tomb Raider, Too many tags I am sorry!, and angry, and protective, down with the patriarchy, explorer girlfriends
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-14
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2020-05-07 19:58:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 19
Words: 42,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19216471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoapBoxDerby/pseuds/SoapBoxDerby
Summary: Lara Croft embarks with her father on an expedition to the elusive Skull Island, where adventure and dangers await them. But when Richard recruits photojournalist Mason Weaver as the team photographer, Lara discovers that she's in for a lot more than just another "tomb raid" with dad. Inspired by instagram's @galaxyalycia!**Currently rated M for language and some violence. Any unique chapter ratings will be made clear at the beginning of each chapter *wiggly eyebrows*





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, friends! Being the lesbian lover that I am, I was scrolling through some tags on instagram and happened upon the page of @galaxyalycia. If you’re not familiar with them, go check them out! Anyway, they came up with this genius idea of pairing together Lara Croft (of Tomb Raider) and Mason Weaver (of Kong: Skull Island), specifically as portrayed by Alicia Vikander and Brie Larson. RIGHT??? So, while these brief panels whetted my appetite momentarily, I decided I needed MORE of this iconic lesbian pairing and have taken it upon myself to start a fic featuring these two lovely ladies. A lot of the action in the story will be inspired by @galaxyalycia’s panels, which can be followed on instagram at #galaxyalycialarson. Please check out their page, and if you like my fic hit that kudos button and leave a review! xx
> 
> As far as the AU goes, I’m taking a bunch of liberties! Everything happens in the present day and after the events of 2018 Tomb Raider BUT RICHARD LIVES BECAUSE LARA DESERVES THAT. Yay!

“Dad…” Lara growled. “You promised.”

Richard Croft dragged his hands down his face and shut his eyes tight, head already pounding. He’d do anything for his Lara, heavens knew he already had, but he could feel a world-famous, first-class temper tantrum brewing within her, and unlike a fine wine, her flare-ups had worsened with age.

“I know what I said, Sprout,” Richard huffed. “But it just can’t be done. It’s for our safety.”

“Safety be damned!” Lara exclaimed. “Dad, you said it was going to be you and me! Just you and me, exploring, charting, living off the land. _You _discovered this island. _You’ve _been studying it from afar for years. You and I have been planning this trip for months, and now you’re saying we need to share all the credit with someone else?”____

____“Lara, you don’t understand,” Richard tried. “The government, they won’t let us go out there alone. Especially because we’re the only ones who know it well enough to try to reach it. If something happened to us, it could be years before someone else could learn what we know and try to make it out there.”_ _ _ _

____Lara glared at her father from across the dinner table, her chicken breast untouched. She had half a mind to take it to her room and shut herself away for the rest of the evening, but she knew she wouldn’t eat it anyway._ _ _ _

____“Fine,” she spat. “If you’re going to take along your own crew, then you clearly don’t need me, so I guess I’ll just stay home.”_ _ _ _

____“Lara, you know how silly that is,” Richard reasoned, his voice gentle but firm._ _ _ _

____Finally, a soft blush dusted her cheeks. She realized she was behaving like the little girl her father had left behind all those years ago, and not as the strong young woman she'd grown to be._ _ _ _

____“I know,” she admitted, looking down. “I’m sorry. I just… miss our adventures together.”_ _ _ _

____“Sprout, we’ll still be sharing this adventure!” Richard assured, reaching over and cupping his daughter’s face in his callused hands. “You don’t need to worry about that. I promise, first and foremost my immediate priority is spending time with you.”_ _ _ _

____He kissed her forehead gently and smiled once more._ _ _ _

____“So, can I count on my first mate to be at roll call tomorrow morning?”_ _ _ _

____Lara sighed._ _ _ _

____“You know you can.”_ _ _ _

____“There’s my girl.” He smiled, then picked up a folder that had been propped against his water glass and offered it to her._ _ _ _

____“Listen, I’m going to be busy walking Lieutenant Packard through the plans tomorrow morning. I want you to read up on the recruits so you can be ready to check everyone aboard the plane tomorrow. Can you do that?”_ _ _ _

____Lara saluted exaggeratedly._ _ _ _

____“Sir yes sir! Will read up on recruits to speed up expedition preparations, sir!”_ _ _ _

____Richard laughed and watched his daughter leave for her room, already hungrily consuming the contents of the pages before she’d even left the dining room. Despite the phenomenal crew that had been assembled for this expedition, he knew that nobody could be more equipped or better qualified for this than his Lara. After all, she was a Croft, through and through. It was what she was made for._ _ _ _

____XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX_ _ _ _

____By the time 4 am had rolled around the corner, the Crofts had already gotten ready, eaten breakfast, and squeezed in one last debrief before arriving at the airfield. Even though the sun wouldn’t light the sky for another two hours, there was something about waking up early to embark on a journey that had Lara wide-awake and buzzing in her lace-up boots._ _ _ _

____As predicted, Lieutenant Packard and his soldiers arrived first - the “bodyguards” of the expedition. After checking in with Lara, a few of them climbed aboard the plane, but most of them lingered around the loading area with the baggage. At first, Lara couldn’t tell why, but then she caught one of the young men gazing at her ass and snickering with his buddies and gyrating his hips, clearing pantomiming a certain raunchy activity._ _ _ _

____“Hey, you,” she said to the boy (because really, he couldn’t have been any older than 18). He jumped a little and looked startled for a moment, but after a few whoops from his pals, he regathered some of his pride offered Lara a small smirk._ _ _ _

____“Yeah?” he responded._ _ _ _

____Lara could play this game. She smiled back, a smile that a young, naive creature might perceive as gentle, friendly, even kind. Those less new to the world, however, would recognize this response as a baring of teeth, a red flag, a final warning given to the prey before the predator pounces._ _ _ _

____“Come on over here,” Lara purred, emphasizing her words with a suggestive flick of her head. The boy looked at the other soldiers, who “oohed” and prompted him to obey. Turning back to Lara, he shrugged and smiled, and as he walked over she almost felt bad for him. Here was a kid who really thought he was the shit. Well, someone had to tell him._ _ _ _

____When he’d finally stepped close enough to her to stop, she let him stand there a moment and look at her. After all, for all he was about to give up for it, why not at least let him enjoy the view for a second? She offered another smile, hoping to catch him off guard, and took in a deep, rising breath, knowing what this must’ve done for her chest in her low-cut tank top. And, just like she knew he would, the boy took the bait. His eyes shot downward towards Lara’s modest but tempting cleavage, and in his moment of weakness, she dipped behind him, kicked in the back of his knees so he fell to the ground, and hooked one arm around his neck in what had become her signature move: the headlock._ _ _ _

____“You think it’s funny to pretend to fuck women when they’re not looking?” Lara asked. “You like to show off your bedroom moves to your boys? Huh?”_ _ _ _

____She squeezed him around the throat tightly to let him know she wasn’t being rhetorical._ _ _ _

____“N- No,” he panted, hands gripping and glancing off of her forearm. “No, please-”_ _ _ _

____“Sorry, I can’t hear you, your little dick energy isn’t loud enough. Could you speak up?”_ _ _ _

____The soldiers were standing, but none of them knew what to do, since they were all on Richard’s payroll and none of them were about to hit a woman. Still, the young soldier was turning a little purple and even though they knew Lara wouldn’t kill him, they were beginning to grow worried. But before anyone could say anything, a new voice broke through from the back of the group._ _ _ _

____“Aw, come on, Craft, cut the kid a break.”_ _ _ _

____Heads turned, including Lara’s, towards the voice. Breaking through the crowd of soldiers, a tall woman with lean muscle and dirty-blonde hair emerged with a black duffle swung over her back and a vintage camera hanging by a leather strap around her neck. Lara’s brows ruffled._ _ _ _

____“Excuse me?”_ _ _ _

____“I said, let the kid go. Can you blame him for being attracted to you?”_ _ _ _

____Lara’s mouth opened and her grip loosened, giving the boy enough slack to tear from her grasp and sprint as far from her as he could, cowering behind a fellow soldier. Lara rolled her eyes before directing her attention back to the (barely) taller woman._ _ _ _

____At that moment, Lieutenant Packard came around from the back of the plane and informed his soldiers it was time to board. Richard, who had followed, glanced at Lara knowingly. He hadn’t witnessed what had just gone on, but he knew the look on his daughter’s face well enough. He pitied whatever young man had suffered her wrath._ _ _ _

____After all of the soldiers had boarded the plane, Lara was left alone with the new arrival._ _ _ _

____“And just who the hell do you think you are?” Lara asked. “This is a private operation. You shouldn’t have even been allowed onto the landing strip.”_ _ _ _

____“Mason,” the woman replied, taking a few more steps forward until her face was just a foot away from the brunette’s and sticking her hand out. “Mason Weaver. Photographer.”_ _ _ _

____Looking down at her file, Lara flipped through pages (and pointedly ignored the offered hand)._ _ _ _

____“Mason Weaver is a woman.”_ _ _ _

____It a wasn’t a question or a statement, she was just surprised. Mason raised an eyebrow and canted her chin downwards in a silent challenge._ _ _ _

____“Last time I checked.”_ _ _ _

____Lara found herself wanting to laugh, which made her even angrier._ _ _ _

____“Well, Miss Weaver, you have managed to undermine my authority in front of my recruits, encourage toxic masculinity amongst a group of misogynistic little shits, and mispronounce my name all within a minute of your arrival. I’d say you’re not off to a great start.”_ _ _ _

____“Your father’s.”_ _ _ _

____Lara looked up from her file impatiently._ _ _ _

____“What?”_ _ _ _

____“Your father’s recruits. Not yours. And I was wondering how long it would take you to correct me on your name. Damn, you really are as cocky as they say.”_ _ _ _

____Mason’s eyes swept over Lara’s body, quickly giving her a once-over, but Lara didn’t find her blood boiling when the blonde’s eyes wandered to where the young man’s had earlier. Still, she glared a little more for good measure._ _ _ _

____“And as beautiful,” the photographer added softly, almost to herself, before casually sneaking her hand behind the boxy camera at her stomach and clicking a little button. The sound of shutters startled Lara as Mason brushed by her and began to climb the stairs into the large aircraft._ _ _ _

____“Wh- hey, excuse me, did you just take my picture?” Lara asked, following after her._ _ _ _

____“Sure did,” the other woman responded. “At least I think I did. Hard to tell when you don’t aim. I could sell you some copies, if you like.”_ _ _ _

____“You can’t take my picture!” Lara protested as she followed Mason into the plane, leaving behind her post at the boarding dock and following her into the flying space, where most of the soldiers had finally taken up residence. Some of them squirmed uneasily at the sight of Lara, who was now properly ruffled._ _ _ _

____“That’s gonna be kind of hard, princess, seeing how I’m a photographer.”_ _ _ _

____Lara did not like being called princess, not one bit._ _ _ _

____“Don’t call me princess!”_ _ _ _

____And then she stomped her foot. No, _she literally stomped her foot. _Mason smirked and leaned down to level with the Croft heir.___ _ _ _

______“But you’re so good at telling people what to do.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Lara opened her mouth but found that, for the second time that day (and probably in her life), she had nothing to come back with. So she stood there, like a fool, opening and closing her mouth, while Mason lifted her bag into the overhead compartment and sat in one of the seats near the middle of the flying space. After getting settled, she cast one last smirk in Lara’s direction._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Don’t you have somewhere to be, princess?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Lara, where are you?” Richard Croft’s voice boomed distantly, as if on cue. “You’re supposed to be taking care of check-in!”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Lara turned to her new rival once more. If looks could kill, the young photographer wouldn’t have had a snowball’s chance._ _ _ _ _ _

______“This isn’t over, _Mason Weaver. _I’m not quick to submit.”___ _ _ _ _ _

________Something flickered behind brown eyes as Lara turned on her heels and left the flying space to return to her duties._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Oh, I’m counting on it, _Lara Croft. _”___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello I am back with our favorite girlfriends! Remember to hit that kudos button and leave me a review, it is my CrACk. Thanks!!
> 
> xx Derby

Everything Lara hated about Mason Weaver she found (and absolutely despised) in James Conrad.

“Where’s Mason?”

That was the first question he had asked her when Richard had finally managed to tear her away from the flying space and bring her back to the boarding dock.

“What?” Lara asked, exasperated.

“Was the question not clear?” he asked. “Let me rephrase. Where might I find Mason Weaver?”

Lara bristled.

“Why do you need to know?”

Lara wasn’t sure why, but there was a certain kick she got out of withholding the whereabouts of the photographer from this man, who seemed quite invested in learning them.

“Why do you feel the need to prolong the conversation unnecessarily?” he asked.

“And just who the hell are you?” Lara growled, snapping her clipboard down and shooting daggers at him. She was getting tired of playing the question game with this stranger.

“James Conrad,” the man replied, offering no prefixes or flourishes or a hand to shake.

Lara was suddenly mentally kicking herself, as she realized exactly who this man was and how important the decision to hire him had been. Richard had poured over dozens of files in the search for a lead tracker and had decided and changed his mind again at least a dozen times more. The decision to place his trust in James Conrad, the only person who hadn’t directly applied for the position, was risky, bold, and downright stupid, but Richard had been sure.

“James Conrad,” Lara repeated. “SAS captain.”

“Just Conrad now, I’m decommissioned,” Conrad replied. “Now that I’ve answered your question, do you mind answering mine?”

“Weaver’s on board already,” Lara grumbled, scratching through Conrad’s name on her list and jerking her head to the plane. He nodded briskly (was he thanking her?) and climbed aboard. Lara huffed.

After the rest of the crew had arrived (the scientists checking in last, as predicted), everyone was assembled in the fly space. Richard and Packard stood in the doorway to the cockpit so as to be heard by the entire crew as well as the pilot.

“Gentlemen,” Richard started, then cast a glance toward Mason and Lara. “Ladies. Welcome to the beginning of the greatest discovery of our generation. My name is Richard Croft. I have organized and will be overseeing the expedition to Skull Island. This man to my left is US Army Lieutenant Packard. And the woman to my right is my daughter, Lara Croft.”

Lara was not, in fact, to Richard’s right, but quickly found herself being pulled there by her father.

“She has earned her place in this crew not because of the Croft blood coursing through her veins, but because of the courage within her. When I’m not present, she will be in charge. When teams split up, she will lead searches. Aside from myself, Lara holds the highest rank in this team, so I expect everyone to treat her with the same respect and dignity as they would treat me. That includes you, Private Wilson.”

Richard cast a glance towards the boy that Lara had scared half to death earlier that morning, whose face was beet red as his fellow soldiers turned to stare at him.

“But,” Richard continued, “as I’m sure you’ve all seen, Lara can take care of herself without me around. So just be smart and she’ll let you keep your hands.”

Lara puffed up with pride, knowing Mason was watching. This meant she would be in charge of the snarky blonde the entire trip, and that same snarky blonde would be at the Croft heir’s mercy.

“I’d also like to introduce our field tracker, James Conrad,” Richard continued, and some of Lara’s pride deflated. “He will be leading ground expeditions and will also head searches once we reach the island. Conrad, for god’s sake, at least raise your hand so they know who you are.”

Conrad humbly but confidently lifted his arm as eyes fell on him. Lara (who realized her gaze had been idly resting on Mason) noticed the field photographer’s eyes snap over to Conrad. Evidently, the SAS captain hadn’t yet found her aboard the large plane. His eyes met hers and Lara stirred uncomfortably at what she found behind their gazes. She tore her eyes away, almost feeling as if she was intruding on some sort of private moment.

“Right,” continued Richard. “We’re scheduled for an eleven-hour flight to Thailand. From there, we’ll be boarding the Colossal and set sail. With my research and this team’s skill set, we should be able to reach Skull Island within two and a half days. A more in-depth debrief will be held before we enter the storm system protecting the island. Everyone must be at their A-game then, so get plenty of rest and make sure to keep your energy up. Any questions?”

No one spoke. Lara looked at Mason again, who was still gazing at Conrad. She shifted and subconsciously defaulted back into the position of attention.

“Alright,” Richard said. “Soldiers, Lieutenant Packard has asked to speak with you all at the back of the flying space. Everyone else, prepare for takeoff. Dismissed.”

While Packard led the soldiers to their seats at the back of the plane, everyone else found their seats and buckled down. Lara took a spot near the front of the flying space, should anything go wrong, and leaned her head back against the headrest. The sun’s rays were just beginning to tint the sky in the east, and she’d been on her feet since 3 am. Just as she was beginning to let her eyes slide shut, she heard a voice she didn’t know she was listening for.

“James.”

Opening her eyes and looking to her left, Lara saw Mason stride toward the ex-captain and wrap her arms around him as his arms wound around her waist. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, and Lara could tell the pair had been through a scrape or two together. Once again, she looked away and tried to ignore the funny feeling in her chest.

“I didn’t know you were going to be here, did you know I was?” Mason asked, gently pulling away.

“Only reason I signed on,” Conrad confirmed.

“You ass, why didn’t you say anything?” The photojournalist asked, giving him a not-so-gentle wack on the shoulder.

“I didn’t want to risk you saying no,” he replied. “Last time we were together didn’t exactly end on a good note. For either of us.”

Mason recalled the painful memory but shook her head.

“Well, that doesn’t matter. We’re in this together now. I’ve got your back if you’ve got mine.”

She extended her hand. Conrad took it and gave it a single, firm shake.

Lara hadn’t meant to continue eavesdropping, but it was growing increasingly impossible to ignore Mason Weaver and, by proxy, this James Conrad. It became even more difficult when she felt a thump in the seat next to her and opened her eyes to see the very same photographer in the seat beside hers, Conrad sitting in the next one over.

“Uhh…” Lara started.

“Only seats left,” Mason explained, jolting her head towards the rest of the fly space. Lara looked around and found Mason was correct.

“Don’t worry, princess, I won’t bother you.”

“I find that hard to believe,” Lara mumbled, considering how bothered she already was. Reaching into her bag, she dug out a pair of earbuds and an iPod.

“Aw, c’mon, you’re not gonna tune me out, are you?” Mason asked with a playful grin. Lara despised the way her warm eyes crinkled and her whole face seemed to smile. She glowered.

“You have your boyfriend to talk to.”

Mason looked confused for a moment before looking to her left where Conrad sat, realizing who Lara was referring to, and bursting into explosive laughter. For the first time, Lara realized, she saw a hint of a smile tugging at Conrad’s own lips.

“James is not my boyfriend,” Mason explained. “Seriously. Like, not in a million years would that ever happen.”

“Ouch,” Conrad mumbled. Lara tilted her head. Was that a joke she was picking up on?

“Anyway, what are we listening to?” Mason asked, reaching into Lara’s lap to grab an earbud (and holy hell, Lara hadn’t noticed how toned those forearms were. Seriously, how did a photojournalist happen upon muscles like that?).

“I hadn’t really planned on sharing,” Lara said pointedly. Conrad also was not amused.

“Oh, well I suppose I’ll just sit here alone with my thoughts while you leave me for an iPod,” he said. Lara’s jaw went slack. Another joke? Was this brought on solely by Mason? There was evidently more power in this woman than Lara had given her credit for.

“Oh, hush, we’re already gonna be spending a lot of time together, James,” Mason assured, knocking into the tracker to her left. “This is my chance to get ‘chummy’ with the expedition’s first mate. That is a thing you Brits say, right? ‘Chummy’?”

“We aren’t particularly fond of being lumped together as ‘you Brits,’ but I suppose,” Lara hissed. Mason either didn’t notice the bite in the tomb raider’s voice or she just didn’t care. So instead, she reached into Lara’s lap again and grabbed the iPod.

“Fancy thrusting your hands into strangers’ laps, do you?” Lara asked, finally voicing her discomfort. Conrad snorted and looked as if he was trying to hold in laughter. Mason, on the other hand, was left speechless as the slightest, softest blush decorated the tips of her ears only. Lara wasn’t even sure she really saw it, thinking perhaps her mind had fabricated the image.

“Sorry,” Mason responded carefully, setting the iPod back on Lara’s leg with a newfound gentleness. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I could switch seats with James, if you like.”

Conrad seemed less than enthused at Mason’s volunteering him, and Lara cringed, thinking the only person she’d hate sitting next to more than Mason was the decommissioned captain. Besides, now that she had seen Mason was capable of an apology, suddenly she seemed a little more bearable.

“No, no, that’s alright,” Lara sighed. “Look, if I let you listen to my music with me, will you shut the hell up?”

“No promises.”

Lara glared, and Mason was quick to cover.

“But it’s more likely!”

Lara sighed and offered the blonde an earbud, which the latter took gratefully and popped into her right ear while Lara took the left. After hovering over song titles for a moment, Lara found the one she wanted and selected it. “Born on the Bayou” began to fill the uncomfortable silence that had settled between the two.

As the sound of Creedence Clearwater filled the two’s ears, Conrad cast a knowing look at his best friend (though he’d never call her that to her face). Mason was a bit more upfront than Richard Croft’s daughter and might have mucked up the first impression, but he recognized her interest in the Croft woman and knew it wouldn’t take long for that interest to be requited.

He gave Lara two days before she was helplessly and irreversibly in love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> James Conrad waiting for them to fall in love is honestly so relatable. KUDOS AND REVIEW PLS!!
> 
> xx Derby


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's see just how soft our girls can get

Mason’s father often joked that she could sleep anywhere. Once, on a trip with him when she was seven, she pulled out a large drawer form a hotel dresser, nestled in, and slept like a baby. So falling asleep upright with the sweet tremors of David Bowie’s guitar in her right ear was no hard feat for her at all. She did not expect, however, to wake up a few hours later with an additional weight added to her arm. Turning to her left, she noticed the head on her shoulder belonged to none other than Lara Croft.

She swallowed, realizing this was the first time she’d seen the fiery brunette without a scowl on her face. The little crease between her eyebrows was still present as Lara battled whatever dreamland enemies she was facing, but it was much more endearing in sleep and when not directed at the photographer. Still, Mason found herself wanting to reach out and smooth it down with the pad of her thumb.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Conrad asked next to her, his voice hoarse as if he himself had just woken.

“No thoughts,” Mason responded, still gazing at Lara. Realizing this may look suspicious, she turned to her friend and smiled. Conrad was not smiling back.

“I don’t recommend getting involved with the daughter of the hand that feeds you,” he said simply. Mason’s eyes popped out of her head.

“Lower your voice,” she hissed in a whisper. “Who said anything about getting involved with Croft?”

“You expect me to believe that you didn’t Google her and fall madly in love before you even met?” Conrad prodded, still speaking louder than Mason would have liked. She opened her mouth to protest, but one of Lara’s hands tightened around her bicep in slumber. Mason’s mouth went dry.

“Can we at least talk about this later?” the photographer pleaded. Conrad smiled humorously at last.

“Alright, you can count on it.”

Mason sighed and turned away from her friend, resting her head back and staring at the ceiling of the plane. According to a recent update, they’d be landing in Thailand in just four more hours. She hoped Lara would wake up in less than that, because she really had to pee. But then Lara snuggled into Mason’s shoulder, and the blonde woman couldn’t help but hope Lara never did wake up, because Conrad had been right — after being hired by Richard, she immediately hopped online. A quick Google search found that Lara had no social media, but had been featured in countless articles and research papers for her expeditions and raids since her adventure in Yamatai. In every picture, that same crease between her eyebrows had been present, and Mason knew that she’d be spending the entire voyage resisting any feelings for her boss’s daughter.

She had even planned on avoiding the Croft woman, had hoped that by insulting her and mispronouncing her name, she could build a barrier between them. But then there hadn’t been any more seats but the ones next to Lara, and then she shared her music, and then she fell asleep on Mason and was gripping her bicep and nestling her nose in the crook of her neck and-

Lara whimpered. Mason looked down at the adventurer. There was no noticeable change in her appearance, but she was squeezing onto Mason’s arm considerably tighter than she had been just a few moments ago.

“Might want to take care of that,” Conrad said, glancing at Lara. “Or might not.”

He stood and walked out of the flying space to where Mason presumed the bathrooms were. Lucky bastard. Still, that lucky bastard didn’t have a beautiful woman gripping his arm.

Mason looked back down at Lara, reaching with her left hand toward Lara’s forehead, ready to smooth out that goddamned crease when the raider’s eyes opened and met the photographer’s.

There were a few seconds of stillness, which surprised Mason. Lara’s eyes were heavily lidded and cloudy, but she had definitely registered Mason’s face. Her hands remained where they were. She blinked. Mason decided not to move, aside from dropping her hand back in her lap.

“Are you alright?” She asked softly before Lara could say anything and ruin the moment.

Lara blinked.

“What?”

“You were dreaming,” Mason explained. “And making these noises. Are you okay?”

“Oh.”

Lara sat up slowly (and blushed when she realized what her hands had been latched onto). Mason was surprised, expecting her seatmate would have hurriedly jerked away after realizing how she’d fallen asleep. Lara instead very calmly resettled in her seat and looked out from herself, away from Mason.

“I get these dreams,” Lara explained. “From lots of my adventures, but mostly from my first one, the one in-”

“In Yamatai,” Mason filled in. Lara looked over.

“Sorry, I may or may not have googled you.”

Lara’s eyes squinted just a little, not accusatorially, but in assessment. Then, she smiled. It was close-mouthed and hardly noticeable whatsoever, but it made Mason’s insides melt. She had finally cracked that steely exterior.

“Yeah, Yamatai. I don’t know how much you read, but I almost lost my father on that trip. Right after just getting him back, too. And I had to kill a lot of people. Which I’ve gotten quite good at, but you know, they lie when they say it gets easier.”

She looked away again, staring out the window across from their seats.

“It doesn’t get any easier.”

Mason reached out and covered Lara’s hand with her own.

“I know,” Mason said. Lara glanced over, surprisingly unbothered by the warmth and weight of Mason’s hand.

“You know?”

Mason nodded.

“When I was twelve, a man broke into my house while my family was watching a movie in the living room. He held my family at gunpoint while insisting my dad hand over money. I was sleeping in my parents’ room when I heard it all, so I grabbed my dad’s gun and shot him four times in the back. Not before he shot and killed my sister, though.”Mason swallowed, feeling as if the air around them was as thick as water, and just as hard to breathe in.

“After that, my parents were never the same. My dad still blames me for my sister’s death, and I’ve been a pacifist ever since. So I guess I do know something of what it’s like.”

Both women were surprised when Lara turned her hand over underneath Mason’s and laced their fingers together. The brunette gave a gentle squeeze.

“That’s shitty,” Lara mumbled.

Mason nodded.

“Mhm. Shitty.”

At that moment, Conrad walked back into the flying space and immediately noticed the interlaced hands (resting, ironically, in Lara’s lap). He raised an eyebrow, and this time Lara was positive the blush that swept across Mason’s skin was not just her imagination.

“Allie,” Mason explained, and Conrad nodded, seeming to understand what that meant.

“Bathroom’s open, if you need it,” he said as if having read his best friend’s mind earlier.

Lara released Mason’s hand quickly and looked apologetic.

“You had to pee?”

“A bit,” Mason chuckled. “Don’t worry about it, you look cute when you sleep.”

It wasn’t until she was halfway to the bathroom that Mason realized what she had said and mentally kicked her own ass.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

It turned out that Lara’s momentary lapse of humanity wasn’t her warming up to Mason at all, but simply a byproduct of grogginess. Once she’d properly woken up, she was back to her rigid harshness. Still, there was noticeably less bite in her words.

Probably because I played the dead sister card, Mason thought.

When they finally landed in Thailand, Lara was in charge of making sure everyone got off the plane with their respective luggage. The soldiers were easy, since they all had the same uniform duffle. The scientists were a little harder, being civilians and considering that most of them thought themselves to be the next Albert Einstein. But eventually, she had guided them off without emotionally damaging too many of them.

Last was Conrad and Mason. The field tracker glanced at Lara once, then cast a warning look at Mason, and cleared his throat before shouldering past and descending the boarding steps. Lara checked off his name and looked up expectantly at Mason.

The blonde smiled.

“Just you and me, princess.”

Lara, without looking down, crossed through Mason’s name in a fluid motion while taking three longs strides until she was standing face to face with the photographer. Mason didn’t know what response she’d been expecting, but this was not it. Swallowing, she taller woman looked down at supple lips, wondering if she was about to find out what they tasted like. A bit earlier than she’d expected, but she wasn’t going to complain. Lara, however, had another idea. Sliding her own duffle off of her shoulder, she slipped it onto Mason’s bagless one. The blonde staggered a little.

“Jesus, what do you have in here?”

“If you’re going to call me princess,” Lara purred, ignoring Mason’s question, “then you’re going to treat me like one. Congratulations, Miss Weaver, you've just earned the role of my own personal porter.”

With that, Lara spun on her heel and exited the aircraft, leaving Mason alone, saddled with luggage, and pulse buzzing in her stomach.

Damn if she wasn’t such a sucker for beautiful women.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, you thought the sass was over? You were mistaken! Also, enjoy some family angst, because what action hero is complete without it?
> 
> Kudos? Reviews? My literal crack.  
> xx Derby


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will Lara stop being a dumbass? Will Mason stop being so damn gay? Keep reading to find out!

Mason was going to kill Lara Croft.

Not only had the brunette left Mason behind to find The Colossal on her own once they’d exited the aircraft, but whatever Lara kept in her goddamned duffle bag was causing it to tear into the flesh of Mason’s shoulder like a knife. Sweaty, lost, and collapsing under the weight of the bags, she searched and inquired and searched some more before realizing that there was no way she’d be able to find the ship on her own. Despite her field training and natural instincts, her sense of direction wasn’t worth a shit.

Finally, when she realized the ship would be departing in twenty minutes, the photographer swallowed her pride, unblocked Conrad from her phone (which she probably should’ve done already), and called him. He had kindly come to her rescue.

“Why didn’t you just stay with me?” Conrad had asked as he guided them through the crowds of fishermen and merchants.

Mason mumbled something incoherent under her breath.

“Sorry, what was that?”

“I was trying to flirt, I guess,” Mason grumbled, knuckles whitening as she tightened her grip on the strap of her bag.

Conrad glanced at her sideways, no longer joking. The ship was at last in sight.

“Listen, Mason, I was just kidding about that stuff earlier. I didn’t mean to put any thoughts in your head.”

“No,” Mason groaned, rubbing her temple. “It wasn’t you. Anyway, I've decided to reel it back in. I mean, I met this girl at the asscrack of dawn this morning. I haven’t even known her for twenty-four hours. Plus I’m gonna strangle her to death the next time I see her.”

Conrad raised an eyebrow as he gestured towards the port side of the ship where the boarding dock was.

“She’s the one that left me out here. What if I hadn’t found the ship? What if I’d been left stranded all alone in Thailand?”

“To be fair,” Conrad snickered, “she probably just assumed you possessed a fraction of an ounce of a sense of direction.”

Mason smacked him in the back of the head.

Once on board, and just as The Colossal’s engines began to purr beneath her feet, Mason staggered to the front of the vessel. Posted outside of the quarterdeck was a list of the entire expedition crew’s names and which room they’d be staying in. Finding her own quickly, Mason saw she’d be staying on the third deck. Spinning on her heel, she (miraculously) found the staircase on her own and descended the steps, already beginning to mutter under her breath all the things she wanted to say to Miss High-and-Mighty “Princess” Lara Croft.

“…and just who exactly does she think she is…”

She stepped onto the third deck floor and left the staircase, turning to the right.

“…little girl thinks she can do whatever she wants just because her dad runs things…”

She gripped the straps of the bags tighter, realizing Lara was going to have to come to get her bag eventually, and smirked at the thought of having the upper hand. Counting up the numbers on the outsides of the doors, Mason stopped in front of hers and reached for the handle, discovering it was unlocked. Swinging the door open and keeping her gaze down, she continued to grumble as she entered the room.

“…stuck-up, no good little shi-”

“Woah! Uh, hey?”

Mason froze and realized she was not alone. Looking up, she was petrified to find the very object of her frustration standing before her. She was alternatively very delighted to see that that very object was clad in nothing more than a towel, water dripping down her shoulders and calves, evidently having just stepped out of the shower. Mason’s face burst into flames.

“Uh, sorry, wrong room,” Mason stammered, suddenly forgetting which was the door was and walking around herself like a dog chasing its tail. “Could you tell me where 104 is?”

“This is 104,” Lara clarified. “We’re roommates.”

Roommates.

Mason swallowed.

“Like, we’ll be sleeping together?”

Lara quirked her brow.

“I don’t know about that, Miss Weaver, but we certainly will be bunking in the same room.”

Mason was growing agitated. This was not how it was supposed to go. Normally she was the puppeteer, invoking frustrated stammers and blushes from the women she wooed. She didn’t like the control Lara had over her.

“I didn’t mean that,” Mason huffed, finally letting the bags fall to the ground and turning around quickly. “Listen, I’m really sorry about walking in on you, I thought I was rooming alone.”

“You don’t have to turn around, Miss Weaver, neither of us has anything the other hasn’t seen. Can you grab me some clothes from my duffle?”

Mason’s eyes popped. Clothes, like an outfit of clothes? Like a shirt and jeans and _underwear _clothes?__

__Stooping down to Lara’s duffle, she unzipped it and immediately realized why the bag had been so heavy._ _

__“Rocks?!” Mason glowered, momentarily forgetting Lara’s lack of clothing and turning to face the other woman. “You put rocks in your-”_ _

__She stopped. Lara was turned towards the porthole, gazing at the sea, and had let the towel slide down to her hips, leaving the entirety of her back exposed. Mason couldn’t help but notice each dip and contour in the raider’s toned skin, the way the muscles rippled when she took in a breath. She wasn’t sure how long she was staring, but Lara finally turned her head and smiled. It wasn’t even a nasty smile._ _

__“I wanted you to get in a good workout,” she said innocently. “Now, can you get me some clothes or do I need to come over there and-”_ _

__“Nope! I got it!” Mason yelped, hastily grabbing the first articles she could find and throwing them in Lara’s direction. Turning away again, she waited until Lara was dressed before she grabbed her own duffle and set it on the bottom bunk bed in the corner of the room._ _

__“Who said you get the bottom bunk?” Lara asked, adjusting the hemline of the muscle shirt Mason wished she hadn’t given her._ _

__“Well, I wanted to give you the top one,” Mason lied._ _

__“Oh, no, please, you take the top,” Lara replied. Mason frowned._ _

__“Okay, well actually, I prefer the bottom bunk.”_ _

__“So do I.”_ _

__“But I want to able to act in case something happens,” Mason insisted, brushing aside her jacket and revealing a knife sheathed at her hip._ _

__“So do I,” Lara repeated, walked to her duffle and exposing two Heckler & Koch USP Match pistols._ _

__“We can trade off?” Mason offered. “We’ll be spending two nights aboard, won’t we?”_ _

__Lara sighed._ _

__“Fine. We’ll go alphabetically by last name. I get it first.”_ _

__Mason opened her mouth to protest, but Lara chose that moment to start unpacking her guns and a compact bow wrapped at the bottom of her duffle, so she decided silence was the best choice for now. Instead, she swung her bag onto the top bunk and lifted herself up with a pull-up, raising her leg over the side. When she was nestled in her bed, she saw Lara looking up at her._ _

__“What?” The photographer asked, pulling a pack of Twizzlers out of her bag and tearing off a bite from the rope of candy._ _

__“Where did a war photographer learn to do that?” Lara mused. “Not a lot of people can execute a full pull-up, especially without a failure at the end. Where’d you get those muscles?”_ _

__“Anti-war photographer,” Mason corrected. “And I’ve been in some pretty crazy situations. I’ve had to run out of battle zones, leap over debris, even pull myself up out of a jeep that was about to explode. It’s not like you’re the only one who can do a set of jumping jacks without having to gasp for breath.”_ _

__Lara smiled, finally warming up to the banter that was settling between herself and her new roommate. She was beginning to realize that Mason’s snark didn’t come from a place of condescension, but of humor._ _

__“Okay, then,” Lara mused. “If you’re all that, there’s a gym on board. Dinner’s not for another two hours, what do you say we hit it?”_ _

__Mason smiled, easing off of the top bunk and landing in front of Lara, her back to the lower bed._ _

__“Are you sure you want to do this, little girl?”_ _

__Lara stepped close to Mason for this second time that day (shame on the blonde for not learning from the first). Looping her leg around the back of Mason’s, she tugged it back into herself so that the taller woman’s knees buckled, causing Mason to crash backward onto the bed. Even though she knew she should've been frustrated, the photographer couldn't help but relish the way her skin buzzed where Lara's leg had pressed against hers. Both confused and admittedly turned on, she felt her heart leap into her throat when the brunette leaned over her with a sly smirk._ _

__“You bet your fit ass I do.”_ _

__Then, she stood, turned on her heel, and grabbed her sneakers._ _

__“Get dressed and meet me at the gym in two minutes,” Lara called over her shoulder, leaving Mason breathless and bewildered (again)._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They deserve the world.


	5. Chapter 5

Neither woman dared call it quits first. In fact, the dinner bell had been ringing for twenty minutes before a figure darkened the entrance of the nearly abandoned ship’s gymnasium.

“Come on, is that all you got?” Mason taunted Lara, who was on her 857th sit-up. Gripping Lara’s feet through padded tennis shoes, Mason was still catching her own breath.

“You stopped at 700!” Lara shouted, the adrenaline of their workout pushing her voice past its regular low, husky timbre.

“Fine!” Mason shot back. Releasing Lara’s feet, she crashed down on her back beside her newest gym buddy and began another set of sit-ups. The unseen figure, realizing that neither woman would dare admit defeat first and would definitely work each other to death, cleared his throat in an attempt to keep the chuckle out of his voice. Both women froze and looked over, and Lara sat up.

“Dad.”  
“All right there, Sprout?” Richard asked, arms crossed and side leaning idly against the doorframe. There was a twinkle in his eye.

“We were just… um… squeezing in a quick workout. Before dinner,” Lara stammered. Mason’s eyes bugged at the word ‘quick.’ Richard nodded.

“Right. So is this why I haven’t been able to find you since we woke up this morning?” Richard inquired, and Mason realized that she was the ‘this’ of which he spoke. Lara, however, seemed as completely oblivious as ever.

“Oh, come on,” she said, standing. “I wasn’t working out on the plane.”

“Certainly not,” Richard muttered under his breath, casting a look at Mason out of the corner of his eye while Lara stepped over to the wall to grab a towel. “Listen, Sprout, why don’t you go grab two trays for yourself and Miss Weaver? I want to talk to her about something.”

Lara shrugged and patted her dad on the arm while shouldering past him. Before leaving entirely, she cast one look over her shoulder and actually smiled, genuinely, at Mason. Flicking her head, she offered one last sentiment.

“Don’t let him keep you, yeah?”

Mason swallowed and nodded, still sitting on the mat and leaning against the palms of her hands. She gazed after the brunette as Richard Croft walked over and squatted on his haunches next to her.

“Quite an enigma, my daughter,” he spoke, stirring her from her momentary trance. She looked over at him and offered a small smile.

“Lara? Yeah, I guess she is.”

Richard stood and offered his hand. Mason smiled her thanks but stood on her own, in return offering him a nod in appreciation instead.

“You know, she doesn’t have a lot of women in her life,” he continued, handing her a water bottle, which she took appreciatively. “Her mother died when she was quite young, and most of the girls in school were too afraid to approach her. Sad to say not much has changed in adulthood. I suppose she has her gym buddy, Sam, but they’ve grown pretty distant since she began her raids.”

Mason shifted awkwardly at the introduction of another woman in Lara’s life, a gym buddy at that, and was only somewhat comforted by the mention of their distancing relationship.

“So I guess I’m just asking that you look out for her,” Richard continued. “She’s really quite a lone wolf, and I’ve never seen her take to someone so quickly as you. Of course, she won’t admit it, but I can see that she’s glad to have you on board.”

He looked down briefly.

“I’m glad to have you on board, too.”

“Is that why you put us as roommates?” Mason asked, finally speaking.  
“What? No, I put you as roommates because you’re the only two women on the team,” Richard chuckled. “I hope that’s alright?”

“It’s alright,” Mason confirmed, smiling softly. Richard seemed to have something to say about that but chose to let it go.

“Anyway, it’s nice to officially meet you, Miss Weaver,” Richard finished, extending his hand. Mason took it and grasped firmly.

“Nice to meet you, too, Mr. Croft. I’m grateful for the opportunity.”

Richard smirked, tossed a towel in her direction, and headed for the exit.

“Try to clean up a bit before dinner!” He called over his shoulder before leaving her to her thoughts.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

When Mason finally sauntered into the dining hall after swapping her tank top for a turtleneck, it didn’t take long for her to find her newest companion. Walking to the back of the cafeteria where the brunette sat, Mason plopped down next to Lara, whose nose was buried in one of her father’s journals, and noticed the two untouched trays of food in front of them.

“Aw, you waited for me before you started eating?” Mason poked, sliding one of the trays over to herself.

“What?” Lara scoffed. “No, just got distracted by dad’s notes, that’s all.”

“Mhm.”

Mason smirked to herself and realized that Lara was going to keep trying to sell her story, as the young raider continued to skim the journal’s contents. Pushing the book down gently, Mason nodded to Lara’s tray.

“Eat.”

Lara squinted her eyes, always hating being told what to do. But Mason’s eyes were warm and her lips were curved upwards in the gentlest smile, so she pulled the tray to herself and picked up a cup of orange slices.

“Feels like I’m back in the school cafeteria,” Mason muttered, though she seemed content enough as she slurped down her questionable noodles with bland marinara sauce.

“I went to private school,” Lara shrugged, and Mason glared.

“Yeah, well, we can’t all be millionaires.”

Lara smiled, bumping into Mason’s side, and the blonde felt her heart becoming all soft and fuzzy.

“Anyway, just wait until we get to the island and don’t have a cafeteria to go back to,” Lara continued. “We’ll be eating cold beans and bacon out of a can.”

“Hey, no dishes,” Mason pointed out.

“Yeah, sure, no dishes.”

A comfortable silence settled between the two women as they continued to wolf down their dinners, starved from the day’s exertions and their competitive workout. Mason even picked up her pudding cup at the end and stuck her tongue in, licking along the edges to get every last bit. Lara found herself staring, but when Mason looked up, she just laughed.

“Real lady, this one,” she joked. Mason squinted her nose and stuck her tongue out.

“And so mature!” Lara praised sarcastically. Mason grabbed her plastic spork and set an abandoned pepper on it, flicking it towards Lara and watching it find its mark on her shoulder.

“Oh, Miss Weaver, you don’t want to start that fight,” Lara warned, picking the pepper off of the fabric of her jacket. “I’m very good at flinging objects towards people with other objects.”

“Why don’t you show me how good you are ?” Mason challenged, hiking up one of her brows.

Just as Lara was reaching for her own spork, Richard Croft appeared at the side of their table, face strained with a sense of urgency.

“Lara,” he said in a hushed voice. “A man’s been found overboard. The captain needs you and I on deck to greet him. He could be a spy, but regardless, we have to figure out what to do with him.”

Lara’s aura completely changed, her smile evaporating and her steely resolve taking its place. Rising to her feet, she nodded for her father to lead the way, then turned back to Mason quickly.

“Miss Weaver, back to our room. I’ll be back soon.”

“But-” Mason tried.

“Miss Weaver.” Lara shot her a warning glare. “As I say.”

Mason closed her mouth as she watched the two Crofts hurry out of the dining hall, feeling helpless and wishing she could follow. But she knew there was nothing to do but obey her superior’s orders, and she walked back to their shared room with Richard Croft’s journal in her hands.

She sat in bed for a while, looking over the journal, waiting for Lara to come back, but she didn’t. She tried to distract herself with books, snacks, the (outdated) portable tape player her father had given her when she was little, but nothing helped. Finally, after two hours of wandering thoughts that did nothing but worry her, Mason decided it was time to go looking. She’d been awake for almost twenty hours, and her eyelids were heavy, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to fall asleep until she was sure Lara was safe.

After walking down the hallway and finding the staircase closest to the bow of the ship, she slipped inside and began her ascent to the upper deck, knowing she was most likely to find her roommate in the quarterdeck with her father and the captain. Climbing up the final flight and reaching the door, she pushed down on the handle and stepped into the cool night air.

For a moment, she forgot why she had come out onto the deck. The night sky, speckled with stars, seemed to wrap around her like a blanket. She took in a deep breath of ocean air, let it fill her lungs, and felt herself relax. The wind whipped her hair around her face and the sound of waves being crushed under the iron hull of The Colossal filled her ears.

A throat cleared nearby. She was not alone.

Looking in the direction that the sound had come, Mason found Lara sitting in a deck chair at the bow where there were no quarterdecks or rooms to obstruct the view as the ship bit away at the waves and brought them closer to Skull Island. Lara smiled a little and gestured towards the seat nearest to her. Mason made her way over and took it.

“Why didn’t you come back to the room?” She asked bluntly.

“What, miss me?” Lara jested. Mason didn’t return the laughter, quite out of place for the jokester. Lara’s smile melted away in turn.

“The last I saw of you, your dad was taking you away to interrogate a potential spy,” Mason explained. “I was worried when you were gone for so long.”

“Sorry,” Lara muttered sheepishly. “I just thought you would’ve fallen asleep. Besides, this sky was so pretty.”

Mason looked up again. It really was.

“I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t guilt me for doing my job,” Lara said suddenly. Mason tilted her head.

“Excuse me?”

“It’s not your job to worry about me,” Lara pressed. “What does it matter to you, anyway?”

“I liked to think we were starting to become friends,” Mason replied, shifting in her seat and hoping beyond hope that she’d be able to navigate these foreign waters without needing to do too much damage control. Lara was silent for a moment and then looked down.

“I’m sorry. I’m not used to getting close with anyone. I try to keep it just my dad and I, makes things less complicated. And I’m not used to talking with women. I don’t think I’m very good at it.”

“You’re better at it than you probably realize,” Mason assured. Lara looked up at her and chuckled a little.

“That’s a comfort to know.”

Settling back in, Mason high-fived herself for avoiding disaster once more. Fiery Lara was amusing and (God help her) a little sexy, but gentle, honest Lara was simply breathtaking. She far preferred the second over the first.

“We’re going to find something life-changing on that island, I can feel it,” Mason said, mentally connecting a constellation in her mind's eye.

“What makes you so sure?” Lara asked, just as pointedly fixed on the stars above her (to better distract herself fixating on the stars twinkling in Mason’s eyes).

“I just have a feeling,” the blonde continued. “Same reason you tagged along on this expedition.”

“You have no idea who I am or why I’m here, Miss Weaver,” Lara sighed, leaning her head back against the whitewashed wooden chair.

“It’s just Weaver,” Mason corrected at last. “Or Mason, if you prefer.”

“Mason,” Lara said for the first time, tasting each syllable, trying out the way they rolled off of her tongue. Mason nodded.

“Mason.”

Lara rolled her head over lazily to gaze at the photographer beside her.

“I don’t think I’m very keen on going back to sleep in our room tonight, you can have the bottom bunk if you want.”

Mason stood up, scooted her chair until it pressed up against Lara’s, and settled back in. Reaching over, she picked up a wool blanket that had fallen off of a chair and draped it over the both of them.

“We are roommates, after all,” she explained in response to the quizzical look the Croft woman gave her. “What kind of roommates would be if we didn’t room together?”

Lara offered a slight chuckle as she adjusted underneath the blanket and looked back up at the sky once more, Mason’s gentle breathing and the sound of the ocean lulling her into a restful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gimme those sweet sweet reviews


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AU ADJUSTMENT: WE’RE GOING TO PRETEND THAT MATHIAS DIDN’T EXIST IN TOMB RAIDER AND THAT THE ANTAGONIST WAS SOME OTHER CREEPY DUDE LARA KILLED OKAY COOL BECAUSE I WANT PACKARD AND MATHIAS IN THE SAME FIC THANKS GUYS

Despite the interesting sleeping arrangements, Lara woke the next morning feeling refreshed. The sun looked as if it had been up for at least an hour or two, and looking at her watch, she saw it was nearly 7 am. Listening to the sounds of grunts and clatter in the distance, it was evident the rest of the ship was waking up, too.

“Damn, I really slept in,” she said to herself. Looking to her left, she saw that Mason was no longer beside her, but in her place was a note and a bowl of fruit (miraculously untouched by any bugs or seagulls). Lara leaned over and plucked up the note first, opening it and gazing upon Mason’s cursive scrawl for the first time.

_Hey, sleepyhead. I didn’t want to wake you and risk you yelling at me, but I wasn’t sure how long you’d sleep so I got you this before they stopped serving breakfast. You should get some protein at some point, too._

_-Mason ___

__Lara folded the note and tucked it in her back pocket before dipping into the bowl of fruit and polishing it off quickly. Wiping her chin, she turned to trek to the quarterdeck and jolted to find that she was not alone._ _

__“Mathias,” she breathed. “How long have you been standing there?”_ _

__Mathias Vogel, the man found overboard just the evening prior, leaned on the staircase that attached the poop deck with the top deck, eating from a can of chicken and rice stew. He gazed into her eyes shamelessly, and Lara found herself shifting uncomfortably, feeling remarkably like an insect under a microscope._ _

__While she and her father had deduced that he wasn’t a spy or working for any sort of covert operation, his secretive nature and lack of proper social skills set off warning flags in her mind. At first, she had credited this to some sort of trauma or PTSD from being stranded in the ocean for hours, but after an hour of interrogation, he really seemed quite sound in that regard. And physically, he was nearly untouched, with just a small bruise on his cheekbone and a cut on his forearm. Lara hadn’t agreed with her father to let him wander about the ship freely and use this expedition as a ticket home, but once Richard had decided there wasn’t a thing she could do to change his mind._ _

__“Good morning, Lara,” he said finally._ _

__“I’d prefer Miss Croft if it’s all the same to you,” Lara responded icily, not liking the way her name sounded coming from his rubbery lips. “I’m a pretty big deal amongst this crew.”_ _

__“Indeed,” he nodded, pushing himself from the railing and stepping closer to her, noticing the bowl in her hands. “I saw a young lady drop that off for you this morning.”_ _

__“Mhm,” Lara nodded, her gaze at him unwavering._ _

__“She watched you for a bit while you slept,” Mathias continued. “I thought it was weird, but then again, I was watching you, too.”_ _

__Lara didn’t mind hearing that Mason had been watching over while he slept, especially after learning that she hadn’t been the only one. For a brief moment, she wished Mason was here now, but then she realized that she didn’t want the blonde anywhere near Mathias. If she could help it, she’d spend the entire trip preventing an introduction between the two._ _

__“Lara!” Mason’s voice called from afar, and Lara felt her eyes roll into the back of her head. Stupid, stupid Mason Weaver, of course she’d choose this moment to make an appearance._ _

__“Hi, Mason,” Lara grumbled as Mason descended the steps of the poop deck and presented her with a chicken salad sandwich._ _

__“Protein,” Mason smiled, seemingly oblivious to the presence of another person on deck and entirely wrapped up in the brunette. Lara nodded across from them in reference to Mathias._ _

__“Er, Mason, this is Mathias Vogel,” she said. “He was the man found overboard last night.”_ _

__Mason turned, still smiling, to the newcomer and extended her hand._ _

__“Mason Weaver. Photographer,” she introduced._ _

__“Mathias Vogel. Archaeologist,” he replied, taking her hand and giving it a firm shake. He was delighted by her equally matched gusto._ _

__“Quite a handshake you’ve got there, Mason,” he remarked._ _

__“Thank y-”_ _

__“You can call her Miss Weaver,” Lara interrupted, taking the sandwich from Mason’s grasp and replacing it with her hand. She didn’t hear the little gasp that escaped Mason’s lips. “Mason, we’re leaving.”_ _

__“It was nice to see you again, Miss Croft,” Mathias called after them as Lara dragged Mason up the staircase. “Miss Weaver, I hope we’ll be seeing more of each other soon.”_ _

__Once they were out of earshot, Mason tugged back against Lara’s hand. As much as she liked Lara’s vice-like grip on her, she did not enjoy it in this context._ _

__“Lara, slow down!” Mason insisted, succeeding in her attempt to get the other woman to stop but still managing to keep her hand folded up in Lara’s. “Jesus, what’s wrong?”_ _

__“That man, I don’t trust him,” Lara hissed, stepping close to Mason. “He was watching me as I slept this morning. He watched me eat, he just sat there, didn’t say a word. And yesterday, when dad and I were talking with him, he acted like he already knew us. I don’t know, Mason, it just seems odd to me, is all._ _

__“Lara, I’m sure it’s fine,” the blonde assured, giving Lara a tight squeeze. “And besides, the expedition is only a week, then we go home. You have, like, ten days left with this guy. You can last for ten days.”_ _

__Lara nodded, looking down._ _

__“Still, I’d feel better if you stayed away from him, too.”_ _

__“Aw, worried about me?” Mason laughed, tucking a strand of Lara’s hair behind her ear. When Lara looked back up, she wasn’t smiling._ _

__“Yes.”_ _

__Mason’s smile evaporated and she swallowed, lowering her hand from Lara’s face._ _

__“Okay. I’ll stay away from him.”_ _

__Lara decided that holding onto Mason’s hand any longer would be suspicious, so she reluctantly let go of the other woman’s hand and continued to walk in the direction of the quarterdeck._ _

__“I’ve got some things to do in the office today,” she explained as she unwrapped her sandwich and took a bite, Mason following closely behind. “But you’re welcome to hang out until I’m off.”_ _

__Mason smiled at this, realizing Lara wanted to be around her as much as she did Lara._ _

__“I appreciate that, but I’ve got some pictures to take. That is what they pay me for, after all.”_ _

__Lara tried to hide her disappointment as they reached the quarterdeck and Lara reached for the handle, letting her hand linger there limply._ _

__“Then I’ll see you for dinner?” She asked. Mason nodded._ _

__“You got it. Dinner.”_ _

__Lara disappeared into the quarterdeck, leaving Mason alone, aside from the camera hanging around her neck._ _

__XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX_ _

__To anyone else, the day would have seemed dull and tedious, but to Mason Weaver, photographer, the day was full of wonder and excitement. She photographed everything: the crew, the sea, the ship, even the birds that would land on the ship’s railing. Most of all, though, she photographer Lara._ _

__She wasn’t stalking her, per se, she just happened to pass the woman often. The ship wasn’t small, but it certainly wasn’t a standard military vessel that seemed to go on for miles and miles. It wasn’t hard to run into people repeatedly._ _

__Lara only caught her once. It was while she and her father and Packard were huddled over something in the control room, and Mason peeked in just for a short photo. Apparently, someone had left the door cracked, and Lara’s ears perked at the tell-tale shutter of lenses. She looked up, finding Mason hiding behind her camera, and smiled the faintest smile before tossing her head, gently informing the woman that she wasn’t supposed to be taking pictures of moments like these. Mason smiled and ducked behind a crate to inspect how much space was left in her camera roll when James Conrad thumped down next to her, causing her to jump._ _

__“Jesus!”_ _

__“So how was rooming with Satan’s spawn?” He asked, leaning into her. “Or haven't you realized you’re in love with her yet?”_ _

__“For fuck’s sake, James,” Mason glowered, shutting the door of her camera roll and standing to her feet. “I don’t want to smother every beautiful woman I see.”_ _

__“Maybe not now that you’ve found the most beautiful woman of them all,” he pressed, giving Mason a gentle shove. “Anyway, dinner bell’s about to ring. Fancy a stroll to the dining hall?”_ _

__“But Lara-”_ _

__“Will be busy for a while,” Conrad interrupted. “She’ll come to eat when she’s ready, but I won’t have you starve so you can hold hands with your new girlfriend.”_ _

__“She’s not my girlfriend,” Mason mumbled as the two walked in the direction of the dining hall._ _

__When Lara did finally enter the hall, Conrad had left for his room and Mason had already polished off her plate, not having the same self-control that Lara had the night before. Plopping down next to the blonde, the brunette let out a long, miserable, exaggerated wail._ _

__“You mean that?” Mason snickered, sliding a tray in front of her friend._ _

__“I can’t remember a time when my feet weren’t on fire,” Lara said. “Are your feet on fire?”_ _

__“I was standing all day, but I’m used to it,” Mason shrugged. “Would’ve thought a tomb raider like yourself would be, too.”_ _

__“Very funny,” Lara growled, shoving a forkful of soggy enchilada in her mouth. “You think you’re so clever.”_ _

__“I am clever,” Mason puffed. “And you have taco sauce at the corner of your mouth.”_ _

__Lara licked the wrong corner of her mouth._ _

__“Nuh-uh.”_ _

__She licked the right corner but missed it entirely._ _

__“Nope.”_ _

__She finally succeeded in licking it only to spread it around even further._ _

__“Fuck’s sake, Lara, let me.”_ _

__Reaching out with the pad of her thumb, Mason wiped the corner of Lara’s lips clean at a harrowingly slow speed. Lara felt her pulse quicken and hoped Mason couldn’t feel it, which was a definite possibility considering the blonde’s other hand had somehow found residence gripping the brunette’s wrist. Once pleased with her job well one, Mason wiped her thumb on a napkin and looked back at Lara, not pulling away at all or removing her hand from Lara's wrist._ _

__“There,” she whispered._ _

__“There,” Lara breathed._ _

__And if it hadn’t been for Richard Croft interrupting them for the millionth time, she just might have made the senseless decision to lean over and close the gap between the two of them right there in the back of the dining hall. But it had been for Richard Croft, and Mason made the common sense decision not to lean over and close the gap between the two of them right there in the back of the dining hall. Pulling away and noticing Lara’s flush, she knew she’d been too late to hide their close proximity from her father._ _

__“Er, all right there, Sprout?” Richard tried, his own face tinted pink. “Just want to let you know that we’ll be reaching the storm system sometime early in the morning. Safe to say between 4 or 5 am. Just, uh… just be ready for anything, okay? May need your brains, may need your brawn. Um… sorry to interrupt. Miss Weaver.”_ _

__Richard shuffled away, leaving Lara and Mason awkwardly poised, faces flushed and gazes downcast. Silence fell around them._ _

__“So, early start, huh?” Mason finally asked. “Maybe we should, uh, go to bed?”_ _

__Lara nodded._ _

__“Bed. Yeah, bed’s good.”_ _

__Standing, the two made their way back to their shared room and took turns showering in the attached bathroom. Lara was certain she was fully dressed this time before venturing back out of the bathroom, telling herself it was for Mason’s sake._ _

__Teeth brushed, hair wet, and eyes heavy, Mason crawled into the top bunk. Lara walked over, looking up at her quizzically._ _

__“It’s your turn for the bottom bunk,” she pondered, gesturing below._ _

__“But you didn’t get it last night,” Mason reasoned._ _

__“But you were supposed to have it tonight.”_ _

__“Well, no matter what, one of us is going to have to miss out.”_ _

__Lara thought for a moment, as if thinking through whether her next words were worth their implication._ _

__“Unless we both look the bottom bunk,” she offered, finally looking up at Mason. “You know, for safety’s sake.” She gestured to the knife, pistols, and bow resting on the nightstand. They really were two heavily armed women._ _

__Mason wanted to. God, did she want to. But the truth was, she was worried that lying down next to Lara in such close proximity would prompt her to do something the shorter woman would not appreciate. But Lara, who had gotten tired of waiting for Mason to answer, was pulling her sleep shirt over her head to reveal nothing but a sports bra and a set of washboard abs that seemed to stretch on for miles. Mason felt her mouth go dry and suddenly her feet were on the floor of the stateroom without being told. Lara smiled._ _

__“Shall we go to bed, Miss Weaver?”_ _

__Mason’s heart skipped at that, suddenly not upset at the manner in which Lara had chosen to address her. She truly couldn’t think of a single thing she’d rather do than go to bed with Lara Croft._ _

__Well, maybe one thing, but it went hand-in-hand with going to bed._ _

__“You get the wall side since I’m letting you sleep down here,” Lara insisted, taking a step closer. Mason, in an attempt to keep her distance, took a few steps back and felt her knees hit the back of the mattress. She sat down, never breaking eye contact with the brunette. Lara continued to step to Mason, and the blonde saw an inner battle waging in her head, wondering what she could possibly be thinking._ _

__Lara was wondering what it would be like to straddle those sturdy hips._ _

__She hadn’t thought of Mason that way before, she hadn’t really ever thought of a woman that way before. But gazing down at the photographer, seeing something hungry in her eyes, she wondered. She wondered what it would be like to straddle those hips. What it would be like to kiss that sharp jawline. She wondered what it would be like to grind down onto her while whispering in her ear and nipping at the soft skin behind-_ _

__“Lara?” Mason asked. “Are you alright?”_ _

__Lara was not alright._ _

__“Mhm,” she lied. “Scoot over, I’m tired.”_ _

__Lara was not tired._ _

__Mason obeyed, turning away to face the wall, and Lara noticed that she had brought her own blanket from the top bunk and cocooned herself inside of it._ _

__“Separate blankets?” Lara asked. “Worried I’ve got something?”_ _

__“No,” Mason swallowed. “Just figured you liked your privacy.”_ _

__Lara eased the blanket off of Mason’s shoulders and tossed it to the ground before easing the bottom bunk blanket over the both of them._ _

__“You thought wrong.”_ _

__Mason flipped over so that she was facing Lara, back facing the forgotten wall. Her heart was strumming in her stomach as she gazed at Lara’s dewy skin and button nose._ _

__“I’m learning all sorts of things about you, Lara Croft.”_ _

__Lara smiled and turned her back to Mason, disheartening the blonde for just a moment, but redeemed herself as she wiggled backward and pressed herself to the front of the photographer. Mason’s brains short-circuited as her hand brushed against Lara’s thigh on accident, and she could have sworn that she felt the other woman shiver in response._ _

__“You’re a cuddler?” Mason asked._ _

__“No,” Lara lied, taking Mason’s arm and wrapping it around her own torso. “But you’re the protective type and I get nightmares. Don’t tell me we wouldn’t have found ourselves here sooner or later.”_ _

__Mason was not going to protest any further, because her arms were wrapped around the most beautiful woman she’d ever seen, and a very supple ass was pressed into her hips. So instead, she shifted to get comfortable and rested her head against the pillow, breathing in the smell of Lara’s carry-on strawberry shampoo._ _

__“You really are an enigma, Lara Croft.”_ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ANYONE CATCH THE CINDERELLA REFERENCE I LOVE MY DISNEY PRINCESS GIRLFRIENDS (insert photo of Brie and Alicia together at the 2016 Oscars, straight from a gay Disney wedding)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god they were roommates.
> 
> Some dialogue in the following chapter belongs to Legacy Cinema!

"Mason! Run!”

Lara’s eyes darted to find Mason, a strained expression of terror decorating her face. A cut stretched across her cheek and extended to her chin, still producing fresh pearls of blood. She finally spotted her, struggling to break free from a crowd of infested crewmen. 

“Lara, there’s too many of them!”  
Lara fought against the wave of soldiers, pushing to get to Mason, but it was too late. The sickness had set in already, and Mason’s strong features were slowly being consumed by the ashy, dark plague.

“Mason, you have to fight it!” Lara cried, flinging an arrow into a soldier, desperately trying to reach her.

“Lara, help! Lara! Lara!”

“Lara!”

Lara’s eyes shot open as she was thrust back into reality. Looking around, she felt the familiar wave of relief wash over her as she realized she was just experiencing another nightmare, courtesy of her journey on Yamatai. Still, her heart pounded in her throat at her limbs buzzed from her dreamland sprinting.

There wasn’t much she noticed at first, blinking rapidly as her eyes adjusted to the light of the small stateroom, but she could see Mason leaning over her, worry in her eyes and washcloth in her hands. The young explorer tried to sit up, but Mason’s palm gently pressed against her chest, pushing her back down onto the bed.

“Stay down,” Mason instructed, wringing out the wet washcloth and setting it against Lara’s forehead. “Jesus, Lara, you’re on fire. Are you alright?”

Lara didn’t answer, instead swallowed and let the momentary relief from the cold washcloth calm her angry skin.

“I think you were having another nightmare.”

“I’m good,” Lara replied hoarsely, turning away on her side.

“Are you sure? You were moving around a lot, I got worried.”

“Mason, I’m fine,” Lara shot over her shoulder.

“You said my name a few times,” Mason mumbled. “Was I in your dream?”

“No,” Lara lied, still trembling. “No, I don’t think so.”

Mason removed the washcloth and set it on the floor, then crawled back underneath the covers, hoping her presence would sooth rather than upset her bedmate. Lara didn’t seem enthused, however, and rolled over so her back was to the blonde.

“Okay, I get it,” Mason said softly. “You don’t want to talk about it.”

“No, I-”

Without any warning, Mason was wrapping Lara up in her arms from behind again. The taller woman noticed the way Lara’s body shook and shivered against her and held on even tighter, as if she thought she might absorb the waves through contact. The gesture was warm, kind, strong, and it almost made Lara want to cry.

“It’s gonna be okay,” Mason whispered in Lara’s ear. “It’s going to be okay.”

Mason kept repeating those words gently, enough so that the latter slowly began to believe them. Finally catching her breath, the brunette unclenched a little and let herself lean into her roommate, feeling the other woman’s deep breaths against her back. She subconsciously reached for Mason’s strong hand at the base of her stomach and laced her fingers through the blonde’s, hoping her adrenaline-charged grip wasn’t breaking too many fingers. Mason, glad to see Lara was responding at last, stroked the back of the woman’s hand with her thumb as she continued to mutter in her ear and hold her, finding herself slipping back to sleep gradually. The calmer Lara became, the closer Mason eased back into unconsciousness with the brunette in her arms.

After completely stabilizing herself, Lara sighed. Rolling over in Mason’s arms, she came face to face with the other woman, the closest they’d ever been whilst maintaining eye contact, and gazed at her.

“I’m sorry,” Lara apologized. “When I get these dreams, sometimes I get really snappy and defensive afterward, I didn’t mean-”

“Shh,” Mason hummed, her own eyes closed but her body still focused on bringing Lara back to herself. Her frame wrapped tightly around the smaller woman, her fingers traveled up into Lara’s hair and massaged the brunette’s scalp. “You don’t have to apologize to me. Just try to go to sleep.”

“But what if-”

“Sleep, Lara,” Mason said sternly, so sternly that the brunette had to obey. “I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

“Promise?”

Mason languidly pulled the woman tighter to herself, Lara’s nose finding the crook of the blonde’s neck. It tickled in a very nice way.

“I promise.”

Lara let her eyes close, wishing that the storm system wasn’t just a few hours away, because she wanted any excuse to stay in Mason’s embrace for as long as possible. She wondered if she’d ever get the chance to sleep in her roommate’s arms like this again.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Even though she didn’t truly fall back asleep, Lara felt incredibly well rested when the announcement came.

She had been wrapped up in Mason’s arms for the entirety of the past two hours, not daring to shift for fear of waking the blonde. She had gazed at Mason’s sturdy facial features, softened with sleep. She had traced the freckles up Mason’s forearm in little patterns of her choosing, noticing the faint goosebumps left in her fingertips’ wake. Looking at her bedmate, she had even felt the senseless urge to kiss her more than once.

But then a sharp jolt rocked the ship and Richard’s voice was on the intercom calling everyone to the deck and the sound of a siren going off in the distance told Lara that the storm system had found them. Her time playing house with the virtual stranger sharing her bed was over.

Mason’s eyes popped open as soon as she felt their stateroom rock and instinctively tightened her arms around Lara as her body entered fight or flight. Lara muttered something indiscernible, face muffled against Mason’s neck.

“Sorry,” Mason muttered quickly, realizing what was happening and letting her arms go slack so Lara could slide out. She did, however reluctant she was to do so, and stood quickly.

“Get dressed, Mason,” Lara instructed. “Don’t worry about your things, some crew is coming through to gather everything and load it on the supply helicopter. Just put on what you need.”

The two women quickly and quietly got dressed, tugging on pant legs, buttoning jackets, and securing priceless jewelry. Mason noticed Lara struggling with the jade and leather choker she never seemed without, so (for the sake of time, of course), she hurried over to assist.

“Let me,” she said firmly, quickly fastening the tie in the back and letting her fingers dwindle for longer than she should’ve, she realized, as another jolt rocked the ship and the two women had to grab onto each other for support.

“We need to go. Now,” Lara insisted. Mason nodded in agreement and quickly grabbed her camera, wrapping and tying it up in a few plastic bags for good measure before looping the strap around her neck. With that, the two women hurried out the door and found the staircase that lead to the uppermost deck.

Once at the top deck, the ten helicopters that had been dormant until now were already churning up the air around them. Packard stood in the center of it all, directing everyone into their respective helicopters.

“Weaver, Mason!” He called just as the two women were entering the landing strip. Mason didn’t hear him, however — all she saw was the massive black cloud in the distance, covering any and all signs of life that might have been behind it.

“We aren’t going in there, are we?” Mason breathed. She felt Lara grab her wrist and squeeze.

“Weaver, Mason!” Packard repeated, a little louder and more annoyed.

“That’s you,” Lara whispered. “I’ll see you on the island.”

“Wait!” Mason grabbed Lara’s wrist in retaliation as the other woman let hers go. “You’re not coming with me?”

“I’ll be on another helicopter,” Lara assured, giving a reassuring squeeze. “I’ll see you when we land. Don’t worry.”

Lara may have been used to adventures such as this, but Mason was not, so she _was _worried. But she trusted Lara, so she let go of the woman’s wrist and nodded.__

__“Promise you’ll come back to me?”_ _

__This was the first time either woman had verbally indicated caring for the other in an intimate way, and it shocked both of them. But Lara attempted to recover quickly, knowing that it was in everyone’s best interest that she play it off now and address it later._ _

__“Ever the drama queen,” she smiled. Still, she let her expression soften and she offered the smallest wink, so slight that Mason’s nearly missed it. “But yes. I promise.”_ _

__That was good enough for Mason. Giving the other woman one last squeeze, she let their hands part and took a few steps back._ _

__“I’ll see you on the island, princess.”_ _

__Lara’s head dipped and a light blush dusted her cheeks as she smiled before spinning on her heel and climbing aboard a nearby aircraft that already seated her father and — for whatever reason — Mathias Vogel._ _

__“Weaver, Mason, and I’m not saying it again!” Packard shouted, and Mason turned to claim the name._ _

__“Me!” She called, running up to Packard and feeling the strong gusts of air from the rotor blades force entry into her lungs._ _

__“Mason Weaver is a woman?” Packard asked. Mason rolled her eyes._ _

__“Yes, last time I checked,” she quipped impatiently. Packard shook his head and pointed to the helicopter nearest to them for her to climb aboard. Seated in it were a few scientists and two pilots, but the only person who really stood out to her sat on the outermost side._ _

__“James,” she said to herself, approaching the side of the aircraft. He noticed her and quirked a brow. She quirked both right back, then made a scooting motion with her hand. He rolled his eyes and moved over, making room for the young photographer._ _

__“Oh, be honest, you’re glad to see me,” Mason insisted, nudging into her friend gently._ _

__“Yes, well, forgive me for not leaping for joy,” he mumbled in response. Mason frowned._ _

__“Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning,” she joked, though the sun was really only just beginning to crest over the horizon (not anywhere close to the black cloud of death, of course)._ _

__“And what side of the bed did you wake up on?” James asked. “Or was there not really any sleeping last night?”  
Mason’s face flushed, but she decided to roll with the punches._ _

__“You give me way too much credit, James.”_ _

__He finally smiled at this, and Mason grinned back._ _

__Packard, meanwhile, was sliding into the aircraft with Richard and Lara, strapping on his helmet and adjusting his seat buckles, as he began speaking into the headset connected with each aircraft._ _

__“This is Fox, Leader of the Fox group,” Packard started, as Lara stared down Mathias threateningly. He unabashedly gazed back. “It is time once again for the griffin and ant show. As usual, remember, hoooooold on to your butts!”_ _

__Some of the soldiers scattered throughout the aircrafts chuckled in response to his lighthearted speech, some squirmed uneasily. The copter blades began to chop more violently as switches were flipped and levers were pulled, and a general rise in energy amongst the crew was paralleled by the gradually rising sun._ _

__A voice over a megaphone spoke from the central area of the landing strip informing the pilots that they were clear for takeoff, and with that, the bulky metal crafts lifted into the air and started for the great, brooding cloud of doom._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to point out that neither woman ever slept in the top bunk
> 
> Also the definition of character development is Lara going from “I will end you” to cutely blushing when Mason calls her princess within two days no I don’t take constructive criticism (but I do take it on my fic, so please review!)


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, another AU adjustment - sorry, but crazy massive monster creatures will not be featured in this expedition to Skull Island! I didn’t see how I could tie in Tomb Raider qualities and characters into such an (awesome but still) unrealistic premise as Kong: Skull Island, so instead, conflicts will arise from other characters and ulterior motives! For now, Skull Island is just an old, dusty, uncharted island that has lots of cool hollow caves and a weird storm system.

Lara had never seen anything more beautiful in her entire life.

The storm system guarding Skull Island had been a bitch to push through, but after asking Packard to check in with each aircraft, Lara was comforted to know that every helicopter had made it through safely. And Skull Island, in all its forested glory, was worth every hitch and bump that they had encountered thus far.

“It’s beautiful,” Lara breathed, taking her father’s elbow. He smiled.

“Not bad for a father/daughter getaway, eh Sprout?”

A colony of seagulls flew against the background of what appeared to be the rising sun, impossible as it seemed. Rows of trees decorated the landscape like tiny heads of broccoli and crystal clear rivers weaved in and out of the hills in serpentine patterns. Lara could count on her hands the numbers of times she’d been rendered breathless by a view, and this was definitely in the top three. She smiled softly as she thought how wild Mason must have been going at that moment with her camera.

“Should the sun be shining like that?” the man Lara heard called Major Chapman asked, interrupting her thoughts. “I mean, considering the storm we just went through, is that normal?”

“Skull Island isn’t really the type of place you expect to be normal, Chapman,” Packard called over his shoulder from the cockpit.

“You know,” Richard added on, “there’s a lot of work coming up. Why not just appreciate the view for a moment?”

Chapman huffed and shifted uncomfortably, and Lara could tell he was ready to hit the ground running. She couldn’t blame him — as beautiful as the view was, she couldn’t wait to be back on solid ground, and tried to convince herself that a certain blonde photographer had nothing to do with it.

“So when are we landing?” Lara asked no one in particular. “Shouldn’t we find some high ground and set up camp?”

“Some business to take care of beforehand, Miss Croft,” Packard responded, sending a grin back to her over his shoulder. Then, into his headset, the Lieutenant dipped back into authoritarian mode.

“Fox Leader to Fox Group. Split up. Survey your zones. Fox seven, put Landsat on deck.”

“Copy that, Fox Leader, Fox Three headed to Zone Six,” came a response from a radio. Mason wondered if Mason was in that pilot’s craft. She itched to get off the plane and greet the other woman, make sure she’d made it through the storm system alright.

“So by survey,” Chapman continued, clearly having dozed off during a debrief or two, “what exactly do you mean?”

“We’re mapping out the island,” Richard explained again. If he was annoyed at having to repeat himself, he didn’t let it show. In fact, Lara imagined he was rather excited for the excuse to walk through his ingenious plan once more. “We’re going to measure the seismic response of the island’s bedrock by strategically dropped bombs in an attempt to prove my hollow earth theory. If I’m right about this, and I’m sure I am, it’s possible that we’ve found the oldest exposed stretch of land that the sun has ever seen.”

Lara puffed with pride hearing her father speak about his work. Of course, ever since she was a little girl she’d wanted to follow in his footsteps. She read like him, trained like him, even thought like him, until one could hardly tell the two apart aside from the obvious physical characteristics. Hearing him speak of something so dear to his heart was hardly any different than him speaking of something dear to her own. What he loved, she loved in return, and she had come to love the island before even meeting it. Lara realized how sidetracked she’d been with Mason over the last few days and how it had almost made her forget how excited she was to finally discover the island. And finally, after three years of pouring over encyclopedias and journals, notes and equations, they had made it at last. They were finally here.

“Set me up to the system, would you, Lieutenant Packard?” Richard asked finally. Packard tossed back a headset, attached to the helicopter console by a chord, and gave the go-ahead.

“Greenlight, just make sure you’re specific.”

“Fox group, this is Snoopy,” Richard spoke into the headset. Lara snorted at his callsign, which he had loving been assigned during his first storm system simulation flight with Packard a few months prior. “Ready for seismic charges.”

A stream of “Roger that’s” confirmed the nearby aircrafts had copied Richard’s words, and a few moments later, the tell-tale sound of C-4 exploding into the earth informed Lara that the mapping of Skull Island had begun.

“Copy all, Fox Three. Heading 0-9-0.”

The mapping resumed, and Lara let herself sit back and fully take in her surroundings. Throughout all the excitement, the Raider had forgotten all about Mathias, who sat quietly in the center of the helicopter’s small flying space. As her eyes followed the stream of explosions behind him, her gaze traveled across the interior of the plane and met the newcomer’s. This marked the first time she had looked at him and his eyes weren’t already locked on her face — something that she didn’t at all mind. Oddly enough, his gaze didn’t follow the contours of the island or the steady flow of explosions left in the helicopters’ wakes, either. Instead, his eyes were clamped on Packard, seeming to observe every twitch of the muscle, to take in every syllable of every word. Lara cocked her head.

“What’s going on between those ears, Sprout?” Richard asked from beside her, never failing to observe each shift in Lara’s mood. She turned to look back at him, ready to respond, but instead noticed the bulky polygraph, used for measuring the seismic charges, strapped into the back of the plane.

“Dad, look at that,” Lara said suddenly, approaching the computer. “The seismic response is incredible.”

Richard took in the polygraph for a moment, eyes rapidly following each rise and fall of the needle scratching out measurements, and adjusted his headset.

“The bedrock… it’s practically hollow.”

“Dad,” Lara breathed. “We were right. You were right. Your hollow earth theory, it’s real.”

Packard laughed and wiggled in his seat.

“Well, how do you like them apples?” He chuckled. “Richard Croft, you are about to be one wealthy man.”

“I already am,” Richard joked in response, and Lara had to stifle her own chuckle.

She couldn’t wait to tell Mason.

“Hey dad, when we land, do you think that-”

But she was cut off by a deafening boom and the sound of splintering metal. Looking around frantically, her eyes settled on the cause of the sound. As if from nowhere, the helicopter nearest to theirs was being torn apart as what Lara could only imagine was a bomb prematurely exploding ripped through sheets of metal like paper. As the indiscernible hunk of fiery helicopter plummeted to the ground, shouts and chaos quickly began to stream in through the radio and headsets littered amongst the crew in Lara’s craft.

Her heart sank. She hadn’t thought to see which helicopter Mason had boarded.

“This is Fox Leader to Fox Group,” Packard began urgently responding. “All crafts to enter code red protocol. Dispose of any and all explosives immediately and proceed with emergency landing protocol. I repeat, this is a code red. Dispose of any and all explosives _now. _”__

__Gradually, the steady morse code of explosions picked up in speed as helicopters frantically dropped their explosives prematurely for fear of falling victim to the same accident that had taken out an entire helicopter of good men._ _

__And hopefully just men, Lara thought guiltily._ _

__“Excuse me, Lieutenant Packard,” Mathias spoke up. “Any particular reason why we aren’t dropping our explosives?”_ _

__Lara paused and listened, not sure she had heard him properly, but realized that the stowaway was right. They _weren’t _dropping their bombs. She cleared her throat and repeated the question.___ _

____“Lieutenant, why aren’t we dropping our explosives?”_ _ _ _

____“We aren’t done here, Miss Croft,” Packard replied. “Still more of the island to map.”_ _ _ _

____“More of the island?!” Lara repeated. “With all due respect, sir, a group of your soldiers and innocent civilians were just blown out of the sky. Do you really think continuing on is the best course of action? We’ve got the information we need.”_ _ _ _

____“No, _you’ve _got the information _you _need. Who said I was done here?”_____ _ _ _

________Lara’s pupils narrowed to slits, and Richard noticed. Worry lacing his features, he covered his daughter’s hand in a vain attempt to calm her, but the Croft heir had already made up her mind. Reaching down to the holster strapped to her hip, Lara unholstered the 9 millimeter hugging her right thigh, clocked back the hammer, and aimed it straight for the head of the pilot seated in the left-hand side of the cockpit._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Put us on the ground. Now.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________The pilot swallowed, glancing nervously to Packard, as Chapman, Richard, and Mathias all raised up their hands in an attempt to calm Lara._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Woah, woah, let’s just all breathe for a second,” Chapman tried._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“You land this craft, Jacobs, and you’ll never fly one again,” Packard threatened behind the gleaming pistol in Lara’s hands._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“You think I won’t shoot you right here?” Lara challenged. “There are three other experienced pilots in this plane, myself included. Don’t tempt me.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Lara, this is madness!” Richard scolded._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Why don’t we all just calm down,” Mathias tried, attempting to slowly reach for the gun in Lara’s hand. Without removing her eyes from the pilot, the heel of Lara’s left hand swiftly shot out and landed squarely on Mathias’s nose. She heard the tell-tale crack and a yelp of pain, and she knew she had broken it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Anybody else have something to say?!” She growled. All was silent besides some heaving on Mathias’s end. It appeared no one did._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Good. Alright, ‘Jacobs.’ Put us on the ground.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________There was a moment of stillness between Lara and the two men in the cockpit. Packard’s glare was intimidating, but the wrath of a woman scorned and holding a gleaming Heckler and Koch to his head finally won Jacobs over._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“With all due, respect, sir, I’d rather keep my brains than my pilot license.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________And with that, they began their descent down._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________After disposing of the explosives within, the aircraft landed close to the rest of the landed air fleet. As soon as the ground rocked the metal machine, Lara leaped from its belly and felt her feet land in grass-covered earth as she quite literally hit the ground running._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Lara, what the hell was that?” Richard called after her. “Lara Elaine Croft, you get your arse back over here-”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Mason!” Lara shouted, advancing towards the rest of the helicopters, some of which were still churning up the sky around them. Most people had chosen to escape the confines of the crafts for fear of another freak accident and were scattered about the open space, huddled together or leaning against helicopter tails. “Mason! Mason!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Eyes followed her curiously. Lara felt her heart began to hammer. It couldn’t have been. She turned on her heel, ready to run to Packard and demand he disclose the list of crew members and which aircraft they’d been assigned when she felt a strong hand close around her wrist._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Lara, look at me,” Richard insisted, pulling Lara around. “We need to talk. What the bloody hell just-”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Dad, which helicopter was Mason on?” Lara begged. “I need to know, I need to know she’s alright, I need to be sure.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Packard has it, and he isn’t about to do you any favors. Can you just look around?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Lara felt a cloud of exasperation seep into her chest and fill her lungs. She tilted her head up to the sky, taking in steadying, deep breaths._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“I’ll keep looking,” Richard mumbled worriedly, letting go of his daughter’s wrist and slipping away. Lara was aware that eyes were probably on her, and retrospectively, she was aware that her world-famous temper had probably just gotten her in a shit-ton of trouble. She had defied a military Lieutenant, pointed a gun at his pilot, probably gotten said pilot fired, and broken a stranger’s nose. And yet, she couldn’t bring herself to care. All she cared about now was finding-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Lara?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Mason._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Lara’s eyes shot open as she opened her eyes and leveled her head, the sun momentarily blinding her. Frantically, her gaze traveled all around her until finally, _finally, _coming to rest on the photographer.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Mason’s hair was windblown and her cheeks were flushed, plus there was a small tear in the jacket tied off at her bellybutton, but otherwise she looked unharmed. The camera’s strap was still slung around her neck, but the camera was poised delicately in sinewy hands, a stance the Croft heir had seen the photographer take many times over the past few days. Eyes narrowing, Lara put two and two together._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Are you okay?” Mason asked._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“You were taking pictures?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Mason noticed the dangerous look flicker in Lara’s eyes and took a step back._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Lara, what’s going on?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“You were taking fucking pictures?” Lara cried, steadily advancing on the other woman. “You idiot, I didn’t know if you were on that helicopter!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“I’m sorry!” Mason insisted. “I saw your helicopter land and I knew you were okay so I got out to take some pictures of the crew. You know, times of despair make for the perfect-”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“And you didn’t stop to think — that maybe I wanted — to know that you were safe — and alright — too?!” Lara accused, accenting every few words with a well-placed punch to Mason’s bicep. She was _so pissed _at how firm the muscle she found there was.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“I’m sorry!” Mason shouted loudly, grabbing Lara’s fist as she dove in for another punch. “Lara. Lara!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Lara stopped, taking a moment to look up into Mason’s eyes and inhale. She visibly softened. Mason noticed and pulled the shorter woman into an embrace._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“I’m sorry.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Lara relaxed into the taller woman’s embrace and nuzzled her nose into the warm skin at Mason’s neck, fighting back the urge to cry. Maybe it was the unexpected disaster, or maybe it was the collective lack of sleep since beginning the expedition, but the raider had felt more emotions swelling in her chest over the past few days than she had in the last ten years._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“I think you’d better stay with me for the rest of our time on the island,” Lara mumbled into the blonde’s neck. Mason’s skin buzzed where the vibrations hummed against her flesh and rubbed Lara’s back._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Alright,” she responded simply, and that was that._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay okay I want to make it pretty even but it’s kind of turning into Mason being more of the comforter and I want more opportunities for Lara to be nurturing and soft so hang in there for that! As always, kudos, comment, and cake! (I wanted to go for alliteration and I’m craving cake right now, sorry)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! Work’s been up my ass. Please enjoy!
> 
> Things are coming to head y'all! (by the way, idk how long this fic is going to be, but I have plans for waaaaay after they get off Skull Island, so please keep reading!

“May I have everyone’s attention!” Richard called into a megaphone, taking a position in the center of the makeshift airfield that had gradually evolved. “As you likely noticed or have come to know, upon entering through the storm system, one of the explosives in UH-60 Blackhawk detonated prematurely, killing everyone on board. This is an undeniable tragedy, but we cannot let it inhibit our progress. During the mapping, we obtained the information we needed to proceed with charting and exploring the island. Tomorrow, we will be splitting off into four groups, each led by myself, Lara, James Conrad, and Lieutenant Packard. After dinner, we will post a list of which exploration group you will be a part of and you will go to your leader for a debrief.

“The Lieutenant and I have spoken and determined that, in lieu of today’s accident, the rest of the day will be spent free of most duties. I suggest you devote it to rest and relaxation, because starting tomorrow such luxuries will not be available to you. For anyone who may request it, I have a list of the souls lost from this morning. Lieutenant Packard, is there anything you’d care to add?”

Packard shook his head curtly, and Richard dismissed everyone. Soldiers began to set up tents, the more considerate of them assisting the silver-spooned scientists. Computers were set up under Richard’s watch and defense systems in case of unforeseen hiccups under Conrad’s.

Lara sat against a fallen tree further away from the developing campsite, lost in her thoughts. Picking up a jagged rock and digging it into the ground, she didn’t even notice Mason amble over to sit on the log near her. The blonde left Lara to herself for a moment, observing each line and curve Lara pressed in the dirt. She would have probably left the brunette alone entirely had said brunette not hurtled the rock at a nearby helicopter, watching it ricochet off of the metal with a clank and narrowly miss a soldier’s head. The man turned to glare, but realized who had hurtled the rock towards him and quickly pretended he hadn’t noticed.

“Okay, so we’re not gonna do that,” Mason intervened, placing her hand on the woman’s shoulder. Lara, who sat on the ground, had to turn and look up to see who it was sitting beside her. Once she realized, she turned back away and watched the buzzing campsite.

“Wilson was on that helicopter,” she mumbled with a swallow. Mason tilted her head.

“Who?”

“Private Wilson,” Lara replied. “The boy who I had in a headlock when we met. He was just making a joke, you know. I was so terrible to him. And now he’s dead. He was only a boy, Mason.”

Mason tightened her grip and Lara’s shoulder reassuringly.

“That’s shitty, Lara, but you couldn’t have known.”

Lara nodded, swallowing grittily.

“Packard came up to me and told me as soon as he knew. He knew how guilty it would make me feel. I think he was trying to get even with me.”

“Even with you?” Mason asked. “Why would he need to get even with you?”

“Er, well, you see-”

“Lara Elaine Croft!” boomed Richard’s voice for the second time as he advanced towards the pair. Mason removed her hand quickly and began to stand, but Lara put her hand on the blonde’s knee and shoved her back down.

“Stay with me or he’ll murder me,” Lara muttered.

“You’d better have a damn good reason for pulling the stunt you just did,” he continued, finally within “inside-voice” distance (though he was not reverting to his inside-voice at all).

“He’ll probably still murder me,” Lara concluded under her breath. Mason decided it would be wisest not to laugh just now.

“Well?” Richard insisted impatiently. Mason was floored by how similar he was to his daughter in this moment, suddenly struck by the likeness.

“Dad,” Lara reasoned calmly, standing to her feet. “We didn’t know that what happened to Blackhawk wouldn’t happen to us, we didn’t know what had gone wrong just yet.” Which, for the record, was true, it just hadn’t been at the forefront of Lara’s mind when she pulled the gun on Jacobs.

“I understand that, Lara, but we were not in charge in that helicopter.”

“But you and I are in charge of this mission,” Lara retorted, beginning to grow frustrated. “Or are we? If you’re going to be a leader, you can’t let others lead for you.”

Richard opened his mouth to respond, but Lara growled and stumbled off, muttering under her breath something about a “fucking tent.” Richard watched after her, mouth still open, and then turned to Mason.

“And she hasn’t scared you off yet?”

Mason shrugged.

“She’s scared me, just not off. Yet.”

Richard sighed and hung his head.

“Well, you’d better go after her. Someone needs to calm her down and it sure as hell can’t be me. I need to go do damage control with Packard. Will you be alright?”

“Go take care of whatever you need,” Mason replied, nodding. But as the older man trudged away, she instead located and walked in the direction of one James Conrad. He was helping set a laser tripwire around the perimeter of the camp to warn them quickly of any intruders. As Mason approached, he noticed, but continued to oversee his workers.

“Mason, it’s been years,” he said dully, scratching something off on a clipboard. “How’s the wife and kids? Are you setting anything aside for retirement?”

“I need to talk to you,” Mason mumbled.

“Sorry, darling, couldn’t hear you over the sound of abandonment and betrayal. Speak up, would you?”

“Suck my dick,” Mason growled, turning on her heel, but felt his strong hand on the small of her back.

“Come on, Mason,” he said, softer. “You know I’m kidding. What do we need to talk about?”

Glancing to the soldiers hammering an electronic spike into the dirt, Mason made it clear that she craved a private venue, so Conrad led them into his tent nearby, one of the first to be struck. It was larger than most, since he was “important” and might’ve thought to hold an important meeting or two inside, but Mason knew he’d just spend his time in here reading or doing a set of pushups.

She sat in one of two foldable canvas chairs, more than most everyone else would be getting in their tents, and sighed.

“So I know you were just joking the past few days, but I’m kind of into Lara,” she admitted shakily.

Conrad paused a moment, observing her, and then let out an extremely out of character guffaw. Mason frowned, not finding any of it in the least bit amusing. He continued to laugh unabashedly at her expense, unobserving or uncaring of her response. After the lengthy bout of chortling, he finally came to and wiped a tear from his eye.

“There was no joking,” Conrad chuckled. “Some poking fun, some exaggeration, but no joking. I knew you were into her that first moment I saw you looking at her.”

“Okay, whatever!” Mason huffed, throwing her hands up. “You knew before me, yadda yadda. My point is, I have no idea what to do about it! And now she needs me to be there for her and she’s been through this traumatic emotional bullshit and I just don’t know how I can possibly get involved in her life without, you know, getting involved.”

“You’re worried that if you keep up this pace and grow closer with Lara, you won’t be able to resist falling in love with her,” Conrad verified.

Mason nodded.

“And this worries you because?”

“Because it’ll ruin everything!” Mason replied as if it was the simplest thing in the world. “I don’t know if I can keep growing close with her like this and not be allowed to have her.”

“Mason Weaver, you truly are the most useless lesbian I’ve ever met. Do you seriously think your attraction to Lara is one-sided?”

Mason froze, her mouth half-open in whatever pithy argument she had pre-planned and prepared to insert into the conversation. Instead, however, all that demanded to be heard now was the little squeak that resonated in the back of her throat.

“What’s the matter, tomb raider got your tongue?”

“You’re full of shit,” Mason finally muttered hoarsely, standing to leave. She walked to the door flap of the tent and pushed it open, ready to trek across camp and trip the laser wire just to fuck with Conrad, but was stopped when she heard him behind her again.

“For your consideration,” he said, stepping outside and handing her a piece of paper, “myself and the other team leaders were assigned a certain number of soldiers and scientists, but we got to pick from the rest of the miscellaneous crew. I put you down for my team, of course, but Lara has priority. And yes, it’s in order of preference.”

Mason looked at the paper, finding Lara's team list written in what she could only imagine was the raider's own handwriting. It was surprisingly neat for a jocky archaeologist, and yet completely her. And sure enough, there at the very top, was Mason’s very own name.

“I heard it through the grapevine that she held a pilot at gunpoint because she was worried about you.”

Mason looked up from the list, the pieces of the puzzle finally clicking into place. She realized now why Lara was in so much shit. She realized now why Packard had needed to get “even.” And she realized now that Lara Croft was the hugest dumbass in the history of sexy scientific adventurers. Pushing the list into Conrad’s chest, Mason felt her head cloud with rage.

It was her turn to be angry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Conrad out here throwing some mad Thor energy (biggest lesbian ally known to man). Also, stupid protective girlfriends only knowing how to respond to their protective instincts with anger and frustration? It's cute and we love them for it but don't stay angry too long.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Buckle up, creampuffs.

Lara had no idea why everyone was mad at her all of a sudden.

Well, no. That wasn’t entirely true. She knew _exactly _why _most _everyone was mad at her. But she had no idea why Mason was.____

____The whole day had gone by and Lara had barely seen her, and the few times their eyes did meet, Mason had furrowed her brows and hurried off to busy herself with some menial task. Even during the quick lunch break they’d had, Mason had grabbed her can of soup and scurried off to eat with Conrad in his tent. When they had accidentally bumped into each other once, Mason didn’t even address the other woman._ _ _ _

____Lara bounced her leg anxiously through the team leader meeting held just before dinner as the details of the following day were ironed out._ _ _ _

____“Alright, Group A will be lead by Lieutenant Packard and will be making consistent rounds across the island for protection,” Richard verified. “Amongst your team you’ve also agreed to take on Mathias Vogel, correct?”_ _ _ _

____Packard gave a nod and then glared across at Lara once more. She lifted her chin slightly so she could stare back at him from above the crook of her nose._ _ _ _

____“Excellent. Group B will be lead by Conrad and will be surveying potential threats. Group C will be lead by myself — we’ll be taking care of the scientific side of things and trying to get more accurate seismic readings. And, of course, Group D will be led by Lara. Lara, you’ll be at the helm of the cavern exploration. Depending on how well tomorrow goes, we may be moving the other three groups into the bedrock caves over the following days, in which case you’ll ultimately be in charge. Can you handle that?”_ _ _ _

____Lara didn’t even need to answer, just sent a curt nod to the front of the tent where her father stood._ _ _ _

____“Excellent. In addition to your mandatory team of scientists and soldiers, you’ll also be taking on Major Chapman as your primary protective service and Miss Weaver as photographer. She may be called to other teams every once in a while, but she’ll belong to you for the majority of the day.”_ _ _ _

____Lara couldn’t tell exactly why her heart thrummed at her father’s choice of wording just then, but she decided she’d rather devote her mental energy to figuring out what was going on in Mason’s head._ _ _ _

____“Alright, I’ll be posting the list outside of the tent for everyone to see. Be prepared for any questions from your crew. Get a good night’s sleep and be ready for our final debrief tomorrow at 0500. Dismissed.”_ _ _ _

____Lara stood up quickly, avoiding making eye contact with everyone in the room who wanted to kill her. Ironically enough, it seemed the only person in close proximity to her that didn’t want to strangle her was James Conrad, who made eye contact with her once and smirked. She didn’t like it, and decided that leaving her father’s tent was the best call._ _ _ _

____Stepping out, she saw everyone heading over to the makeshift cafeteria: a large, wall-less tent where the expedition “cook” was handing out cans of fruit and beans and taking tips to heat the cans’ contents over his single skillet._ _ _ _

____Cutting to the front of the line (and probably adding another ten people to the growing list of people who wanted her dead), she scooped up two cans of soup, one can of peaches, and another of sweet corn, and turned to look over her shoulder. Mason was not standing in line, which was odd, because she knew she hadn’t eaten yet. Where else could she have been?_ _ _ _

____“Looking for someone?” Conrad asked, stepping up to the cook and taking two cans for himself. He stepped off to the side to let the next person in line have their turn._ _ _ _

____“Not really,” Lara mumbled, looking down._ _ _ _

____“Gonna eat all that?” Conrad chuckled, gesturing to the food in her hands. “Everyone else cut off at two. I guess being a troupe leader has its perks, eh?”_ _ _ _

____“It’s not really all for me,” Lara replied. “Have you, erm, seen Mason?”_ _ _ _

____“Oh, she isn’t with you?” Conrad feigned surprise. “Shocker. So used to seeing you two glued at the hip.”_ _ _ _

____“I think she’s mad at me,” Lara huffed, “but I can’t tell why.”_ _ _ _

____“Why don’t you ask her?” Conrad suggested, gesturing with a toss of his head over his shoulder before turning on his heel and walking away. Lara’s gaze followed in the direction he had nodded to and noticed for the first time a rubbery, heavy-duty tent at the far end of the camp. Furrowing her brows, she cautiously strode the foreign structure._ _ _ _

____Once at the tent, she used her heel to push aside the entrance flap only to find herself face-to face with another tent, just small enough to fit inside this large one. Shoeing this second flap open, she shimmied inside and found herself staring into the eyes of Mason Weaver._ _ _ _

____“Oh. You.”_ _ _ _

____The photographer was bathed in red lighting, and Lara concluded that she was setting up the tent in which she’d be developing photos. Considering the risks and harsh conditions of nature, Mason had decided to use her old-fashioned Kodak in the field, which required a secluded area to develop the images in. It was almost funny — they had the funds for a photography developing tent but had only brought one skillet with them to the island._ _ _ _

____Mason stepped away and opened a tiny fridge in the corner, pulling out a jug of photo chemicals and pouring enough into a metal pan to coat the bottom. Lara observed her every movement — the way the muscle in her arm twitched as she tilted the bottle, the way her lips pressed together in a thin line as she poured just the right amount. When she was done, the blonde returned the bottle to the small fridge and turned to look back at Lara again._ _ _ _

____“Are you going to say something?” She finally asked. “Or are you gonna stand there and watch me?”_ _ _ _

____“Sorry, uh… sorry, I don’t quite remember what I was going to say.”_ _ _ _

____Mason scoffed ironically, though she found nothing amusing. Shaking her head, she sifted the pan in front of her a little to give her hands something to do._ _ _ _

____“Then do you mind leaving me alone? I’ve got work to do. And don’t let the light in on your way out.”_ _ _ _

____“You aren’t developing any photos yet,” Lara pointed out._ _ _ _

____Mason looked up at that, unamused._ _ _ _

____“It’s good practice. Now scoot, I have work to do.”_ _ _ _

____“I remember what I was going to say,” Lara said, interrupting the flow of conversation. Mason continued to move about the desk on which her equipment was set, but after a few moments of silence, she looked up expectantly._ _ _ _

____“Alright? Are you gonna say it?”_ _ _ _

____“I was wondering what’s up with you,” Lara continued. “You’re acting weird. What’s going on?”_ _ _ _

____“What’s going on?” Mason replied incredulously. “Lara, you threatened a man at gunpoint today. You made a permanent enemy with a very dangerous man. And you broke a guy’s nose!”_ _ _ _

____Lara was glad she was bathed in red, because a powerful blush was painting her cheeks._ _ _ _

____“You’re so reckless with yourself. You’re protective and fierce as hell when it comes to everyone else, but you can’t be bothered to take care of yourself. There are people who worry about you, you know. Think of your dad.”_ _ _ _

____Mason turned back to her work, hanging a wire from one corner of the tent and stretching it across to reach the other._ _ _ _

____“People,” Lara muttered._ _ _ _

____“What?” Mason asked absent-mindedly as she tied off the second end of string and began to stretch another length out._ _ _ _

____“People,” Lara repeated. “You said there are people who worry about me, but you only mentioned dad. So who’s ‘people’?”_ _ _ _

____Mason placed the spool of string down, work unfinished. She stepped closer to Lara and set her hand on her hips, huffing in frustration. Lara wished she could’ve taken a picture of the blonde right now, she looked so perfect._ _ _ _

____“Who’s people, Mason?”_ _ _ _

____“You stupid, moronic, idiotic fuck,” Mason said as she strode towards Lara, closing the gap between them and finally, as if having been waiting to do it her whole life, pressing their lips together._ _ _ _

____Lara’s arms went limp and she dropped the cans in her hands, one of them making a target out of her left toe. She didn’t even notice. She couldn’t register anything but the feeling of Mason’s lips on hers. And after the initial shock, she found her arms winding around the taller woman’s neck and pulling her down, down, down into her welcoming mouth._ _ _ _

____Mason tasted like coffee and Twizzlers — an interesting combination, but surprisingly not an unpleasant one. Lara hadn’t meant to, but just once the tip of her tongue flicked out and traced the edge of Mason’s lower lip (which had elicited a gentle murmur from the taller woman) and she found that she rather enjoyed the taste of cherry and hazelnut together._ _ _ _

____Lara felt the kiss beginning to deepen and her body thrummed and hummed and willed it so, but the logical side of her brain tossed a red flag in the air. Lara’s conscience caught it, and the brunette gently unwound her arms from Mason’s neck and pushed against broad shoulders. Mason recognized the gesture and (begrudgingly) released Lara’s lips._ _ _ _

____The women took a few moments to catch their breath, eyes closed and foreheads pressed together. Mason spoke first._ _ _ _

____“Was that-”_ _ _ _

____“Uh-huh,” Lara interrupted breathlessly._ _ _ _

____“-okay?”_ _ _ _

____“Yeah,” Lara affirmed again, nodding against Mason._ _ _ _

____“Good,” Mason sighed, her arms still wrapped tightly around Lara’s waist. She withdrew them slightly, so that just her hands rested on the brunette’s hips. Her thumbs traced lazy circles against Lara’s skin through the fabric of her pants._ _ _ _

____“I can’t remember why we stopped,” Lara realized, her eyes finally opening and finding Mason’s were already on her._ _ _ _

____“You probably wanted to talk about it,” Mason chuckled, and Lara nodded._ _ _ _

____“Right, right. I mean, we should.”_ _ _ _

____“We should,” Mason purred in agreement, hands smoothing over hips. Lara backed up a little, hoping a little distance would deter the blonde momentarily so they could converse, but the latter followed until the back of Lara’s legs hit the large metal desk taking up residence in the center of the tent._ _ _ _

____“I mean, to make sure we’re on the same page,” Lara husked shakily as Mason lifted a finger and traced her collarbone._ _ _ _

____“Mhm. Definitely,” Mason nodded, fingers dancing along the sensitive skin between Lara’s neck and chest. “Talking. We’ll do that.”_ _ _ _

____Lara swallowed, her pulse quickening._ _ _ _

____“Of course, we could always just talk later-”_ _ _ _

____Mason sprang forward, crashing her lips down on Lara’s once more. The brunette let out a muffled moan, and Mason decided she’d like to see how many other ways she could make Lara respond to pleasure. She’d think through that one a little later, she decided, when she felt the tip of Lara’s tongue against her lips once more, this time definitely not by accident._ _ _ _

____“You seriously brought Twizzlers to Skull Island?” Lara asked against Mason’s lips, tasting the tell-tale cherry again._ _ _ _

____“Are you going to be this chatty every time we kiss?” Mason asked, and Lara quirked a brow._ _ _ _

____“Every time? Do you have future kisses in mind, Miss Weaver?”_ _ _ _

____Mason felt a burst of confidence at Lara’s pet-name and leaned forward to whisper tantalizingly into her ear._ _ _ _

____“That and then some, princess.”_ _ _ _

____Feeling bold, she nipped gently at Lara’s earlobe and was rewarded with a sharp gasp. Then, deciding a check-in was called for, she nuzzled the skin behind Lara’s ear gently with the tip of her nose and breathed in Lara’s sweet strawberry shampoo._ _ _ _

____“That is, if that’s what you want?”_ _ _ _

____Lara’s hands reached up into Mason’s hair and threaded through golden locks, burying themselves into warm familiarity. She pressed her face into Mason’s, feeling the smooth, warm skin against her cheek._ _ _ _

____“If you think I could possibly resist you kissing me, then you clearly don’t know me at all.”_ _ _ _

____Mason chose not to point out that they’d only met a few days ago, and instead began to pepper Lara’s neck with soft kisses. As her lips moved to the curvature of Lara’s throat, her pecks evolved into more open-mouthed nips, and Lara tilted her head back to allow for more access. Mason’s hands wandered all over Lara’s waist and sides, so it didn’t take long for her palms to instinctively reach the curve of Lara’s ass. She hadn’t even really thought about it, but when she felt Lara jolt in her arms, she realized that maybe she was moving way too fast._ _ _ _

____“Sorry, is that too much?” She asked. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable if-”_ _ _ _

____"Shhh," Lara hummed, eyes lazily meeting Mason's again. She rolled her hips, shifting her ass against Mason’s palms, and leaned forward to close the gap between them once again. The taller woman gave an experimental squeeze and was delighted to find that it turned Lara into putty in her hands._ _ _ _

____Lara, meanwhile, was learning that the gentlest tug of hair could throw Mason into a mess of whimpers, and she filed this away for later. Fingers playing with the dampening curls at the nape of Mason’s neck, Lara couldn’t stop one of her legs from sliding up the outside of Mason’s. Mason smirked into the kiss, and before either of them knew it, she was lifting Lara by her thighs and setting her onto the metal table, just narrowly missing a pan of photos chemicals._ _ _ _

____“Look at that,” she joked, lips latching onto a sharp jawline. “You’re finally taller than me.”_ _ _ _

____Lara growled, and Mason felt a jolt of heat go through her and pool at the bottom of her stomach._ _ _ _

____“Lara Croft, do that again.”_ _ _ _

____Lara snickered and cupped Mason’s jaw, legs wrapping around sturdy hips and ready to pull back into another kiss, when a tap came from outside the tent’s rubber wall, causing the two women to jump in each other’s arms._ _ _ _

____“Mason, are you in there?”_ _ _ _

____It was Conrad. Lara relaxed, relieved to learn it wasn’t her father, and smirked back down at Mason._ _ _ _

____“Yea- uh, yeah!” Mason called out, voice hitching at her first try at the word because the brunette in her arms had decided that now was the perfect time to lean down and suckle a soft earlobe._ _ _ _

____“Excellent. Richard Croft wants to talk to you,” Conrad continued as Lara grew emboldened and began to nibble gently on Mason’s ear with her teeth. The blonde could hardly bring herself to pretend to continue listening to Conrad as her eyes rolled back in her head._ _ _ _

____“Ahh… okay,” Mason tried halfheartedly, her pulse beginning to thrum dangerously lower in her body. Lara’s mouth was warm and her breath ghosted over damp flesh, raising goosebumps along Mason’s neck and arms._ _ _ _

____“You busy in there?” He asked, and it sounded like he was trying the first tent’s flap._ _ _ _

____“Don’t come in!” Mason yelped as Lara kissed her cheek and jawline, fingers continuing to play with the short hairs at Mason’s hairline. “Developing photos.”_ _ _ _

____“Okay…” Conrad mused. Then, a pause. If Mason had been paying attention instead of focusing on the way Lara’s lips found hers and blossomed like a flower in her mouth, she could have heard the gears turning._ _ _ _

____“Oh,” came Conrad’s voice once more. “Oohhhhhh. Oh yes, I see. Er, well, alright. Leave you to it. Just don’t forget!”_ _ _ _

____Mason had already given up on the conversation by then, hands trailing along Lara’s thighs (though she had enough self-control to keep her palms on the outmost side)._ _ _ _

____“Oh boy, we’re in a lot of trouble,” Mason husked as she felt Lara’s ankles lock at the back of her knees._ _ _ _

____“God, I hope so.”_ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my!


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, don’t worry, we’re returning to the plot soon. I know you all care SO MUCH about it and obviously aren’t just here for the heavy-petting and fluff. …Right?
> 
> No but for real hang tight we’re gonna see some more plot soon I promise.

It took a lot of effort on Mason’s part to convince Lara that they really needed to stop. For all the moments it had taken Lara to adjust to the new sensation of kissing a woman, she certainly was content enough to stay in the doubled-up tent, bathing in red light and Mason’s ministrations.

“Five more minutes,” she begged against Mason’s lips once more, fingers tangled in blonde locks and pulling her closer. Mason whined, willing mind over matter to win out. It was difficult, considering Lara had sneakily placed her hand just under the hemline of Mason’s shirt and had begun tracing the contours of the firm muscle she found there.

“Lara, your dad wants to talk to me.”

Both women abruptly stopped at that, realizing exactly what it was that had nearly gotten them caught by Conrad. Richard Croft needed to speak to Mason. Mason, who had just pinned his only daughter to her work table and ravished her with her lips.

“Oh, motherfucker.”

Mason stepped out from between Lara’s legs and ran her hands down her face, groaning somewhat, while Lara looked down at the ground and kicked her legs back and forth, chewing on the inside of her mouth.

“How do I look him in the eyes?” Mason asked. Lara started to giggle, and Mason swatted at the seated woman’s knee.

“It isn’t funny, Lara! I just felt up his daughter, he’s gonna know!”

“He isn’t going to know,” Lara purred, grabbing the knot of Mason’s tied-off button down and pulling her back in. “Not unless you make it weird.”

“You see, that’s exactly my point, of course I’ll make it weird,” Mason insisted, enjoying the way Lara’s eyes were still clouded with lust.

“Or, you could stay in here with me,” Lara offered, knitting her fingers together at the back of Mason’s neck.

“Or I could not.”

“What if I made you stay?”  
Mason quirked a brow.

“What, like with your brute strength?”

“You haven’t experienced my brute strength, I’ll bet it might shock you,” Lara mused.

Mason would’ve liked to find out more about Lara’s brute strength.

“Another day, love,” Mason decided, unlooping the brunette’s arms from around her neck. Lara felt a warmth pooling in her chest at the nickname and decided not to point it out, for fear that it might take the spontaneity out of it.

“Wait,” Lara said, sliding off the table as Mason began to exit the tent. The blonde turned back around, too welcoming of a further delay.

“What’s up?” She asked, closing the tent flap again.

“What… what’s gonna happen from now on?” Lara asked. “I mean, with you and I? Is this a one-time thing? Because, you know, if it is, I can work with that, but I’d rather know now and not build myself up for something that isn’t even going to-”

Mason lent forward and gently pressed her lips to Lara’s forehead, drawing back and placing her hands on Lara’s arms.

“We’ll talk more about this later,” she assured, kissing Lara’s left cheek next. “And as for the kissing…”

She kissed the tip of Lara’s nose.

“…I’d love to try some more of that.”

She leaned in once more, attaching her lips to the brunette’s again in a closed-lipped, sincere kiss. Lara let her hand reach up and traced Mason’s cheek with her index finger before pulling away.

“Tonight, then?” Lara asked. “My tent? To talk. For real this time.”

Mason nodded, grabbing Lara’s hip and giving it a quick squeeze before winking and turning on her heel.

“Don’t touch my shit!” She called over her shoulder as she left the makeshift developing space.

Lara, bemused, leaned back against the table, fingers ghosting over lips still humming with excitement.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

“Mr. Croft?” Mason asked, tapping against the tarp of the archaeologist’s tent.

“Come in!” His voice called from inside, and Mason slipped inside with ease, finding the interior much cooler than her insulated rubber developing tent.

Of course, there had been other goings-on that could have been perpetuating the heat issue.

“You wanted to see me?” Mason swallowed, feeling as if the words “I just felt up your daughter” were written across her forehead in bright red ink.

“Have a seat,” he gestured. He also had two folding chairs, but unlike Conrad, he had an additional folding table piled with books and notes. Mason snickered to herself as she took a seat. What a luxury.

“How are you finding Skull Island?” Richard asked, sitting down at the chair at the desk.

“I haven’t really done much looking around,” Mason admitted. “Especially now that James set up the tripwire.”

Richard nodded, opening up a file and taking a pen out.

“But you certainly will tomorrow. Excited to be on Lara?”

Mason blinked for a moment, brain short-circuiting.

“B- be on Lara? Be on Lara’s what?”

“Her operation…” Richard said as if it was the clearest thing in the world. Mason felt idiotic.

“Right! Right, yes, I’ll be working for her tomorrow.”

“Well, with her,” Richard tried. Mason canted her head downwards, and Richard relented.

“Yeah, pretty much for her. But I’m sure she won’t be too domineering. Actually, I’m not sure, she can be pretty haughty. But I know she likes you.”  
Mason chuckled and nodded.

“I’m beginning to think you may be right about that.”

Richard nodded, squinting one eye and gazing at the woman across from him.

“Is there something you want to tell me, Miss Weaver?”

“Something I want to tell you?” Mason repeated. “Er, no. No, don’t think so.”

Richard nodded.

“Well, I wanted to ask you about your game plan tomorrow. I know you brought a Kodak. Do you have any night-vision equipment for when you’re in the bedrock?”

“Oh, absolutely,” Mason nodded. “The Kodak is more for me than anything. I’ll use that for anything above-ground, but once we get into the caves I’ll be using some more modern tech.”

“Excellent, I’ve assigned Major Chapman to carry any equipment you may bring along,” Richard concluded, sliding the file over to Mason, a picture of Chapman circled. Mason recognized him vaguely.

“He’ll be meeting with you a 0530 outside this tent to take on your equipment and you can tell him any details you’d like then. Sound good?”

Mason nodded, not having expected to have her own porter.

“Thank you, sir,” she stammered. “I just figured I’d be lugging it all around myself.”

“Well, Lara asked me to make sure you had your hands free,” Richard smiled. Mason’s heart jumped up into her throat for a moment. “And you’re sure there won’t be a problem? Pairing you two together? You’re both very sure and headstrong, I just want to make sure there won’t be any hiccups. Especially after this morning’s accident.”

“I think we’ll be fine,” Mason assured, though she wasn’t entirely positive herself. Especially after tonight’s added complications, she didn’t know what tomorrow would be like. Would things be weird, or would they run much smoother now that she and Lara had an added layer of depth to their relationship?

“Alright, well, I suppose I should let you should head to bed,” Richard smiled. “You do need to be up in seven hours, after all.”  
Mason smiled, feeling more fatherly affection from Richard Croft in this single interaction than she had from her own father sometimes in an entire month as a girl.

“I’ll do that,” she assured. “Thanks for everything, Mr. Croft.”

“Richard, please,” he insisted, standing to shake her hand, humbly withholding the fact that technically his prefix was Lord.

“Richard,” Mason repeated. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She stood and turned to leave, but Richard called after her.

“Oh, I hope you don’t mind, you and Lara will be bunking together again. Is that alright?”

Mason would have an answer to that question in a few minutes.

“No problem!” She called back as she began to slip out of the tent.

But of course they were roommates again. They were still the only women on the trip, and there was no reason to give Mason her own tent, even if there was cause to give Lara some privacy. Huffing, she turned back around to begin her quest to find her sleeping quarters, but instead found herself face-to-face with Lara, jumping for one startled moment and bringing her hand up to her chest.

“Lost, Miss Weaver?”

Mason shook her head, smiling coyly.

“You plan that?”

“Natural talent,” Lara shrugged. “Shall we?”

Mason gestured for Lara to lead the way, and they trekked across muddy grass, past the photo developing tent, past Conrad’s tent, to a structure very near the furthest edge of the tripwire-enclosed space. Lara held the flap open for Mason as the two women crawled inside.

“Chivalry’s not dead,” Mason joked, stepping in to find that Lara had set up everything already, including (surprise, surprise) two folding chairs, a desk, two sleeping bag-topped cots, and their belongings propped up in the corner. Mason observed the several feet separating the cots and felt a twinge of disappointment.

“I wanted to ask you about the sleeping arrangement,” Lara inserted as if following Mason’s gaze. “I mean, we shared a bed last night and slept pretty close the night before, but I didn’t want to presume anything. I wasn’t sure if things have changed now.”

“Things have changed,” Mason confirmed. “But I guess that’s why we’re gonna talk, right?”

“Right. Talk.”

Lara stepped over to the cot that had a stack of books piled at the bed (so presumably her own) and sat down. Mason followed suit and set on the edge of the cot opposite, leaning over herself and resting her elbows on her knees, eyes searching Lara’s face.

“So, what did dad want to talk about?”

“Major Chapman,” Mason replied. “He’s my personal porter.”

“Oh?” Lara quirked a brow. “A porter for my porter.”

“I’m not your porter, Lara,” Mason deadpanned.

“You were kinda my porter.”

“No more!” Mason cried, reaching out and gently shoving Lara’s knee. The two women laughed briefly before settling back into a semi-comfortable silence.

“Alright,” Mason sighed. “I guess now we talk about the elephant in the room.”

Lara nodded, and when Mason didn’t continue, she decided to speak first.

“I really liked it.”

“Me too,” Mason assured, enthused. “Absolutely. But just because you enjoyed it doesn’t mean you want to do it again.”

“I do,” Lara breathed, nearly cutting Mason off. “I really do.”

“So you definitely like women, then?” Mason asked. “I’m not just something to take out your sexual frustration on? Because let me tell you, princess, I have standards.”

“I don’t know that I like women,” Lara admitted honestly. “I’ve never put much thought into it. You’re definitely the first woman I’ve ever kissed beyond a drunken makeout. But I really liked doing it, and I want to do it again, and if you’re interested I wouldn’t mind sleeping together.”

Mason swallowed, and Lara felt her heart leap into her throat as she realized her mistake. Frantically she tried to recover.

“No, not like that! I mean, like, pushing our cots together and cuddling and…” Lara swallowed, taking in a shaky breath. She looked down and picked at the fabric of her pants.

“I really like you, Mason. And it scares me because I’ve only known you for a few days. But I know that I like how I feel when I’m with you.”

Mason smiled softly, nodding.

“That’s good enough for me.”

Then, when Lara’s eyes met hers, she added more honestly: “For now.”

Standing, Mason moved around to the other side of her cot and began to push it over until it was against Lara’s knees.

“You mind scooting?” She asked. Lara stood up, eyes bright, watching Mason’s every movement, as the blonde pressed the two beds together.

“There,” she nodded, sitting down at the foot of one of the cots. “Now I can hold you properly.”

“Hold me,” Lara mused under her breath as if just only coming to the realization that Mason could do that now, and that she could return the favor, and that they had an excuse.

“And… if my lips happened to find your lips in a completely spontaneous, inauspicious manner….” Lara mused, finding that Mason was exactly in the position where so many of her guilty daydreams had begun. The brunette indulged herself, letting her knees fall on either side of Mason’s hips and sliding down, her rear finding Mason’s lap as she settled into a straddling position. Mason’s hands shot up to the small of Lara’s back.

“Well, I certainly don’t see that being a problem,” the blonde filled in, fingers swirling up the back of Lara’s spine. “Of course, that would have to be after getting ready for bed.”

Lara frowned. That wasn’t what Mason said in her fantasies.

“Let’s get ready for bed later,” Lara suggested. “I like the taste of cherry.”

Mason tossed her head back and laughed, and Lara loved that she had been the cause. She couldn’t help but admire the ribbing of the photographer’s throat, couldn’t help but feel the desire building in her to reach out and latch onto it with her mouth, leaving bruise after bruise. But they had to be careful, had to be discreet. People couldn’t know about what was going on with them, not while on Skull Island. So instead, she gazed at the woman beneath her, admiring the way she let her throaty laugh get away from her.

“Okay, princess, you win,” Mason relented. “But you should know that my night routine is very important. A definite must.”

Lara grinned down at Mason before cupping her jaw and pulling her into a (very smiley, disgustingly sappy, overwhelming cheesy) kiss that one might expect from a young, budding romance.

After a healthy dose of gentle caresses and not-too-heavy petting, Mason had finally pried Lara off of her lap and carried out her nightly routine. Lara, who simply needed to brush her teeth, wash her face, and change into pajamas, was already nestled on her cot when Mason walked back into her line of sight. Eyes befalling the blonde, Lara felt her mouth go dry.

“Booty shorts?” She asked through what felt like cotton in her mouth. “And that tank top… Jesus, Mason, I can see your abs through that.”

Mason took in Lara, adorable in her oversized Oxford t-shirt that must have been given to her by her father. Pulling back the sleeping bag and sliding between the cool polyester covers, she realized there was still much more that needed to be discussed.

“So, about tomorrow…” Mason tried, shifting uncomfortably, still unsure about these new sleeping arrangements. Lara didn’t seem nearly as cautious, however, as the shorter woman slung an arm over Mason’s stomach and snuggled in closer, resting her head on a tanned, broad shoulder. Mason felt a little of the tension disperse.

“What about tomorrow?” Lara asked, reaching over and tracing little patterns with her index finger over Mason’s flesh. Tiny goosebumps started to rise and Lara smiled proudly.

“You like that.”

“I’m human, Lara, of course I like that.”

“So what about tomorrow?” The brunette repeated, tilting her head back so she could look Mason in the eyes.

“I mean, it’s gonna be weird, right?” Mason asked. “Considering we have this big secret and nobody else can know. And you’re kinda gonna be my boss.”

“I wasn’t thinking it was going to we weird,” Lara shrugged, her fingers trailing down to play at the hemline of Mason’s shirt once more. “I was thinking it could be rather…”

Leaning up close to Mason’s ear, she whispered the end of her sentence in a drawn-out husk.

“Exciting.”

Mason’s eyes rolled back in her head for the second time that day as Lara’s fingers slipped underneath her shirt and began to rub at the firm flesh she found there. Pouring every ounce of concentration into resistance, the blonde gently pulled Lara’s hand away.

“See, that’s just another thing we need to talk about,” she sighed. “How far are you willing to go? With me, physically? Because I don’t want to cross any boundaries.”

It was true, Mason was far more experienced in the field of “lady-loving,” but that didn’t mean Lara was any less eager to learn. Mulling it over for a moment, the tomb raider finally gave her answer.

“Kissing is always on the table. I don’t mind cuddling at night, either. As for sex…”

Mason jolted inwardly at the abrupt mention.

“…we’ll wait for a bit and see where this goes. Just communicate with me and I’ll be honest with you.”

“But I still have so many questions,” Mason whined.

“Like?”

“Well, for example, if I wanted to touch your chest-”

“Like my _chest _chest or my-”__

__“Your boobs, Lara, if I wanted to touch your-”_ _

__Lara took Mason’s right hand, which was lying idly by her side, and calmly placed it on her breast, gazing at Mason beside her unabashedly. Mason’s mouth fell open._ _

__“This is me communicating with you,” Lara spoke gently, hand covering Mason’s over her chest. “You can touch my breast. And if you want, you can touch my ass, too. Let’s wait a bit before we try anything beyond that, okay?”_ _

__Mason nodded dumbly, trying to swallow but finding herself unable. Her thumb, taking on a mind of its own, absentmindedly stroked along the curvature of Lara’s breast and the brunette gasped._ _

__“Sorry,” Mason whispered, barely audible._ _

__“Mason,” Lara giggled. “That’s the point. You’re allowed to do that. I liked it.” Then, turning a little pink, she wiggled closer._ _

__“Do it again.”_ _

__Mason took in a shaky breath, eyes darting from Lara’s eyes and then back to her lips, making sure she was still in the clear. Then, ever so gently, her fingers gently kneaded the supple flesh. Lara’s eyes closed and her mouth opened, and Mason let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding._ _

__“This feels a lot different from how boys do it,” Lara hummed, eyelids pressed tightly together and hand (still covering Mason’s) trembling slightly._ _

__“Boys are foolish,” Mason replied gently. “They aren’t in it for you, they’re in it for them.”_ _

__“And you, Miss Weaver?” Lara asked, finally forcing her eyes open though still squirming under Mason’s continued ministrations._ _

__“Me?” Mason repeated, slipping underneath Lara’s shirt and returning her hand to its former position, this time without the fabric as a barrier. Lara whimpered as Mason rolled a pebbled nipple between her thumb and forefinger._ _

__“It takes two to tango, baby. I’m in it for you and me both.”_ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Princess is great and won’t be retired anytime soon, but it was time for a mild upgrade. Mason Weaver, welcome to the greatest petname of all time.
> 
> Okay, Lara now has princess and baby. Mason has Miss Weaver and _________. What’s her new petname? Drop some suggestions below!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry it's short, but I wanted to give you something to tide you over. And I'm sorry for the delay, work has been kicking my ass. But a new chapter will be up very soon, and we get to see our beloved Tomb Raider in action!
> 
> In the meantime, pure fluff and some inward angst.

It was the first night in a long time that Lara hadn’t had any nightmares.

Things hadn’t heated up much beyond Mason’s hands exploring the new territory of Lara’s breasts, and the two had quickly fallen asleep after an exhausting, emotionally taxing day. Lara, wrapped up in tanned arms, was able to forget all about Packard, Mathias, the explosion from that morning, and the responsibilities she’d been saddled with. In Mason’s embrace, she felt safe. She felt as if she could be Lara the human, as opposed to Lara the unstoppable force of solid muscle and steely resolve and unfathomable wit. With Mason, Lara could just be.

It scared her.

Even so, she didn’t have a single nightmare. In a rather out-of-character instance, Mason was the one left staring at the ceiling of the tent that night, Lara snoozing away blissfully against her side. The brunette seemed calm enough, but the moment the little crease between her eyebrows appeared, Mason was there to gently smooth it away with the pad of her thumb, stroking the worried muscles until they relented and a soft smile graced Lara’s lips. After making sure everything was alright once more, the blonde’s gaze returned to the ceiling and her thumb continued to rub small circles into the firm muscle of Lara’s lower back.

A few times, Lara would shift or hum or nuzzle her nose into the crook of Mason’s neck, and every time Mason worried that the woman in her arms was beginning to wake. But she never did. She would only pull Mason closer and sigh against her skin, calling the short blonde hairs at the nape of Mason’s neck to attention. When she finally did drift off, the two women’s fingers were interlaced as they blissfully carried each other into sleep.

Imagine Mason’s surprise when said bliss was interrupted by a bucket of ice water.

“Jesus fuck!” The photographer yelped as the water came crashing down over her head. Sputtering and wiping her eyes, she blinked them open just enough to peek at Lara, standing over her with a now-empty bucket in arms.

“Lara, what the hell?”

“You weren’t waking up,” the raider shrugged, setting down the demon bucket. “Besides, wet Mason Weaver is definitively in my top five Mason Weavers.”

“Suck my dick,” Mason growled, and Lara arched her brow.

“You want me to?”

Mason swatted at Lara, missing her by a bit more than her pride appreciated in her groggy state.

“God, what time is it?”  
“0510,” Lara replied, and Mason rolled her eyes.

“You can use real people words with me, Lara, no one else is around.”

“Fine. 5:10. You need to get up to meet with Chapman.”

Lara tossed a pair of cargo pants and a button-down at Mason as she spoke, and the latter barely caught the articles.

“You really know everything.”

“I’m right-hand,” Lara shrugged. Then, waggling her eyebrows, she added “and your boss for the day.”  
“Yippee.”

“You are not at all a morning person, are you? What happened to the woman on the ship that got up before me and brought me breakfast?”

“She’s dead,” Mason growled, slipping the button-down on over her tank top and tugging her pants on after stripping out of her cotton shorts. “Breakfast?”

“I thought I was princess,” Lara deadpanned. “Shouldn’t you be getting me breakfast?”

But she pulled a can of beans from her pocket and picked up a previously unnoticed styrofoam plate of bacon from on top of her suitcase in the corner. Mason, upon seeing the bacon, was now wide-awake.

“Where did you-?”

“Perks of being important,” Lara smiled, handing it over to the photographer. As Mason reached for it, though, the brunette tugged it back away. Mason glowered.

“I just don’t see what I get out of this,” Lara stated innocently. “This feels like an abuse of power.”

“You bringing me bacon at all is an abuse of power, Lara.”

“Well,” the brunette huffed, “I still think I should get something in return.”

“Fine, okay, what do you want?”

“Wow, Mace, really romantic,” Lara concluded with a roll of her eyes. Mason’s ears perked.

“Mace?”

“Faster, easier,” Lara explained, finally handing over the bacon but not before swooping in to press her lips to the blonde’s quickly as payment for her services. Mason hummed contentedly, but Lara pulled away and made a face.

“Morning breath.”

“Oh, shut up,” Mason huffed, taking a strip of bacon and stuffing it in her mouth. Lara shook her head and walked over to one over her trunks, unbuckling it and exposing her bow and sheath of arrows. Mason took another bite of bacon and a drop of grease began to make its way down her chin.

“I’ve never been more attracted to you,” Lara said sarcastically.

“Let me eat in peace!” Mason mumbled incoherently through her mouthful of greasy heavenliness, shoving the last two strips into her mouth and chewing fiendishly.

“Sorry, I don’t speak Russian.”

Lara set down Mason’s wrist beads, watch, and necklace on the cot next to their owner, and Mason nodded gratefully, slipping them on. As Mason stepped out to brush her teeth and wash her face, Lara finished strapping her guns to her hips and swung the sheath of arrows and the bow over her back. When Mason finally stepped back into the tent, fresh-faced and breath smelling of peppermint, she looked considerably more alert.

“You ready for today?” Lara asked, handing Mason her final articles: the knife and sheath that attached to her hip and her small case of photography equipment.

“I’m really not sure,” Mason replied honestly. “I have no idea what’s going to happen.”

“Well, you have me to protect you,” Lara boasted proudly, and Mason smiled gratefully, even though both women knew that wasn’t what she’d meant.

“Alright, I guess we’d better go,” Mason mumbled.

Lara reached out and took the taller woman’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“We’ll talk later, okay?”

Mason nodded, squeezing back, and turned to leave. Before she had reached the door flap of the tent, however, Lara charged after her and wrapped her arms around the taller woman’s waist from behind. Mason, startled by the display of affection, could do nothing but stand there dumbly and appreciate the way Lara’s fingertips tickled her ribs.

“We’re gonna talk more about whatever this is some time,” Lara assured her, turning the woman around in her arms. “I’m not ashamed of you or anything. It’s just easier that nobody knows about what’s going on for now. Especially since it’s so new.”

Mason understood, she really did. They were in a professional environment. That, and a week ago she’d yet to even hear Lara Croft speak. Still, her nagging self-doubt sang loud and true in the back of her mind that she wasn’t enough for Lara and she never would be.

“I know,” Mason murmured.

Lara’s eyes were warm and gentle as she leaned and pressed her lips to Mason’s softly, already so familiar with the way it felt and yet still feeling a swarm of butterflies erupt in her belly. When she pulled away to search Mason’s face, the blonde’s eyes were still closed in an endearing expression of contentment.

“We should go,” Lara chuckled, and Mason opened her eyes before rolling them and sighing.

“Yeah, yeah, come on.”

And with that, Mason and Lara marched out of their tent and headed into the unknown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plot returning in the next chapter, I really do mean it.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the plot returns!

The camp was buzzing with the sort of raw, pulled-from-thin-air energy that comes from a pre-sunrise start to the day. Mason wasn’t sure exactly when Lara had left her side, but she noticed as she approached Richard Croft’s tent that her companion was no longer trailing behind her. Taking in a steadying breath, she spotted Chapman and stepped up to the man, just barely taller than she.

“Major Chapman?” She asked tentatively. He, unlike herself, seemed to know exactly who she was, and she couldn’t help but notice the way his shoulders squared and his chest puffed out with pride as she addressed him.

“Miss Weaver,” he said with a brisk nod of the head, extending a hand. Reaching out and grasping his, she could tell by the way his hand collapsed in hers that he had been expecting a gentler grasp.

“Quite a soft grip you got there, Major,” she joked, though he looked less than amused.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, withdrawing and naturally sliding into a half-assed position of attention. “I was told I’d be overseeing some equipment for you?”

“Yeah,” Mason said, brandishing the small case she had and passing it over. “I’m not really sure why they picked you, though.”

“Well, mostly I’m just like Lara's personal bodyguard,” he replied a shrug. Mason didn’t imagine Lara and he were on a first-name basis, but she chose not to challenge it. “Anyway, I’ll definitely be passing this onto a private once we’re in the bedrock. They just need a real person to stick the blame on in case something happens.”

“And a private isn’t a real person, naturally,” Mason deadpanned. She was discovering that she was not a fan of his power complex. Chapman, meanwhile, choked.

“That isn’t what I-”

“Anything happens to that equipment, Major, I’ll personally escort you to hell myself. Doesn’t matter whose hands it was in last.”

Chapman swallowed and nodded, steadying his grip on the case’s handle.

“Anything else you need me to know?” He asked, a lame attempt at recovery.

“Yeah. Touch my shit and I’ll cut your hands off.”

Chapman laughed, the first time Mason thought she ever saw an actual smile grace his lips, but when she didn’t join in he immediately swallowed his chuckle.

“You’re serious?”

“As the plague,” she replied with a smirk. Then, she offered a real smile. “Oh, lighten up, Major. Obviously I’m just fucking with you.”

And oh, how easy it was. She could tell this was going to be fun.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Each crew congregated outside of Richard’s tent, waiting for the eldest Croft and Packard to emerge so the day could begin. The sun was beginning to lick the horizon and painted the sky a deep pink as the stars disappeared one by one. Mason’s fingers twisted in knots as she glanced around nervously, still unable to spot Lara, as more and more cranky scientists and sleepy-eyed soldiers staggered into the open area.

“Hey,” Chapman said next to her, voice surprisingly soft. “You good there?”

Mason nodded, looking straight ahead. She wasn’t exactly sure why she was worried, anyway. Lara could handle herself, and she held a high position in the crew’s hierarchy. So what was the problem?

At that very moment, the brunette in question stepped out of her father’s tent, and Mason sighed in relief. But no sooner had the breath escaped her lips did she spot the ever-present crease between eyebrows, and a wave of concern washed over her.

“Something’s wrong,” she mumbled to herself.

“What’s that?” Chapman asked. But Mason couldn’t answer him, so she remained silent.

Following closely behind Lara emerged Richard, Packard, Conrad, and, for whatever unearthly reason, Mathias Vogel. Lara’s eyes scanned the crowd’s and finally fell upon Mason’s, and the look the brunette gave her was unreadable and unpleasant. She shook her head softly.

“Something’s definitely wrong.”

“Gentlemen!” Came Packard’s booming voice from a megaphone. “It is time, once again, for the Gryphon and Ant show!”

Nobody was amused this time. He paused uncomfortably, as if expecting tardy laughter or hoots and hollers, before he realized he would receive no such credit and continued on.

“Everyone should have been assigned a team leader last night. After this meeting, you will find your team leader. While you are in field, you will listen to your team leader. You will obey your team leader. And most of all, you will respect your team leader when they tell you to do something instead of pulling out a gun and threatening to blow someone’s brains out.”

Mason jerked. Lara’s eyes darted down.

“In a few moments, you will congregate with your teams and your leader will give you a final debrief. After that, we’re on our own. Teams should return to camp prior to nightfall, but no earlier than sunset. And people, remember those waivers you signed. Your life is nobody’s responsibility but your own out here, so tread lightly.”

He lowered the megaphone.

“Welcome to the jungle, folks. Dismissed!”

And with that, the crews began to branch off as the leaders integrated their way into the crowd to find their teams. Lara’s head was quickly swallowed in the sea of tall men, and Mason felt her heart leap. She couldn’t quite place it, but Lara was most definitely not alright.

When a strong hand clamped down on her shoulder from behind, she nearly wheeled around to elbow the intruder in the face, but something warm and familiar told her to wait. Turning back to observe the newcomer, she sighed in relief.

“James,” she gasped. “What’s wrong? Shouldn’t you be with your team?”

Conrad grabbed her wrist, gently but firmly, and pulled her aside, away from the crowd. One look at Chapman signaled to the Major to keep his distance.

“I’m going to tell you this now because I know she won’t,” Conrad whispered carefully under his breath once they were far enough out of earshot from the rest of the team. “Listen to me, Lara is on thin fucking ice. Packard hasn’t forgiven that little stunt she pulled in the helicopter.”

“But why-”

“Mason, for once, just shut up and listen,” Conrad interrupted agitatedly, but she saw something behind his eyes that hinted at something deeper. “Packard’s trying to get her kicked out.”

“Kicked out?” Mason inserted quickly, ignoring his plea for silence. “She’s already on the island, she’s the second hand to the expedition leader. What can he do, really?”

“Mason, he’s going to try to get her killed.”

“What-?”

“Mason!” Conrad interrupted again. “Listen to me. Packard is not here for the same reasons we are. There’s something on this island that he knows about, and for whatever reason, Mathias Vogel knows about it, too. Vogel was transferred to Lara’s crew just now, he’s going to be following her around and reporting everything she says and does back to Packard. Packard said it was to make sure Lara didn’t start pulling guns on the crew again, and Richard couldn’t really give a good reason against that. But it’s more than that. I don’t think Vogel was found that day in the sea by accident. Packard and Vogel are up to something, they know something. Either Lara and Richard don’t know about it and we’re all in immediate danger, or they do know about it and we need to get the hell off of this island. Regardless…”

He took in a breath.

“Lara is not safe as long as Packard’s alive.”

Mason grabbed Conrad’s wrist and squeezed unforgivingly, eyes locked on his.

“How do you know all this, James?”

He opened his mouth as if to answer when a soft voice cleared from Mason’s left. She looked up to see Lara, hands on her hips and brow quirked.

“All right there, Miss Weaver?”

Mason glanced at James out of the corner of her eye, and he stared at her pleadingly before touching her wrist gently and turning on his heel to assemble his crew. Mason looked back at Lara, whose smile was faltering.

“Was I interrupting something?” She joked half-heartedly. Mason heard a slight twinge of discomfort in her voice, but with the new information and emotions swirling around in her head, she had very little energy left to wrangle her thoughts and comfort Lara.

“No, sorry,” she stammered lamely. “Listen, Lara, can we talk?”

The answer was no. The rest of the crew, finally spotting Lara, was gathering around the pair, and Chapman was standing at Mason’s side already, photography case in hands.

“We’ll talk later, Miss Weaver,” Lara assured, casting a wary glance at Mason and hoping whatever she and Conrad had been talking about hadn’t just torn apart the progress she’d made with the photographer over the past few days.

Mason wasn’t really very attentive during Lara’s debrief. She picked up on bits and pieces, like how she and Chapman were going to use C-4 to blow a hole in the bedrock at a cliffside on the northeast side of the island, not far at all from where the helicopter the day prior had taken its fatal plunge. From there, they would chart the underground territory and search for signs of life. She picked up on the way that Mathias boldly hung next to the tomb raider as the brunette addressed the troupe, as if he were a leader of sorts now, too. The prospect sent a shiver up Mason’s spine as she recalled Conrad’s words. Could something deeper really be going on? And had Conrad heard something at all, or was it just a hardened pessimist’s speculation?

Come to think of it, Mason realized she shouldn’t have been surprised at the prospect of a greater prize awaiting on Skull Island than simply charting the untouched territory. Why the need for a huge military presence if all they were doing was charting and learning, graphing and mapping? And why was Packard wound so tightly if all he had at stake was a simple paycheck that would be a breeze to collect?

“Got that, Weaver?”

Mason looked up at the address, blinking rapidly as if waking up from a dream. The entire crew of scientists and soldiers was gazing at her expectantly, and Lara looked more than a little peeved at Mason’s obvious lack of concentration.

“C- Could you repeat that?” Mason asked tentatively, and Lara sighed agitatedly.

“I need you to make sure you’re documenting everything, yeah?”

Mason shrugged, holding up the camera around her neck.

“Sure. I mean, what else would I be doing?”

“No, Mason,” Lara corrected, and Mason startled at the use of her first name around the rest of the crew. “I mean, I need you to document _everything. _”__

__Well, that wasn’t helpful. Clearly the youngest Croft was referencing something specific that she expected Mason to understand, but how could she?_ _

__“Okay…” Mason frowned. “Everything. You got it.”_ _

__“Alright, that about covers it. Mathias, you take up the rear, and Chapman, I want you up front with me,” Lara decreed, ready to turn on her heel when Mathias spoke up._ _

__“Actually, Lara, Lieutenant Packard would rather I stay up at the front with you,” Mathias replied with a smile and a rehearsed air of pleasantry. “Major Chapman can take up the back with Mason, don’t you think?”_ _

__Lara stepped closer to him, coming up only to about his nose but no less tall in her pride and bravado. Her nostrils flared just once._ _

__“Miss Weaver will do just fine. And while you’re at it, you can call me ma’am.”_ _

__Mathias smiled again._ _

__“Of course. Forgive me.”_ _

__Lara squinted her eyes at him before casting one last glance at Mason._ _

__“Let’s move out. Chapman, Weaver, take up the rear. Squadron Alpha, at the helm, Squadron Beta, back the rear. My scientists, if you wouldn’t mind staying central for me. Alright, folks, let’s move out.”_ _

__And with that, the team was off, headed towards the northeast side of the island._ _

__An uneasiness had settled into all on Skull Island, though no one seemed to know its origin. Not even Mason, who snuck glances towards the front of the group and occasionally spotted the back of Lara’s brunette ponytail._ _

__She just knew that the crease between Lara’s eyebrows was going to wrinkle before the woman was thirty._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Something wicked this way comes...
> 
> As always, pls leave comments and kudos! I love to hear from y'all, it's my crack
> 
> xx Derby


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY for my hiatus. I just moved back to university all on my own and I'm jam packed with work responsibilities, but I promise more is coming and I have not forgotten about this fic! Thanks to everyone's support, I love you guys.
> 
> xx Derby

Mason hated guns.

She hated guns, she hated the way they hung low on the backs of the soldiers who accompanied them. She hated the way they kicked backward when fired as if reminding the wielder that every shot fired came with a price. She hated the way they turned a tense moment into a crime scene. Yes, Mason Weaver hated guns. But there was one thing she despised more.

_Boom! ___

__Mason Weaver hated explosives._ _

__How could such a mediocre packing of C-4 detonate a car-sized hole in the side of a cliff? And why was the world just sleeping on it like there was nothing wrong about it? That was what Mason wanted to know as she watched Lara, at the front of the pack, cough only once and wave her hand in front of her face for good measure as chalky dust filled the air._ _

__“Thank you, Major,” Lara said to Chapman, drawing her bow and arrow. Then, to the rest of the group, “look alive, people. We don’t know what could be down here.”_ _

__And then, so easily as if it were the most seamless thing, the soldiers drew their guns and pointed them out from their bodies. Mason couldn’t help but notice that nearly half the scientists were currently in a line of fire and shuddered to think what might happen if something were to leap out and startle the soldiers._ _

__She looked back to Lara and saw the brunette had turned around and was gazing at her. Lara tapped her hip at nothing, but Mason understood. She looked down to her own hip and unbuttoned the knife sheath’s closure for easier access. Looking back up to see if she had appeased, she found that the tomb raider was already turned back away and approaching the entrance of the bedrock._ _

__Chapman stood close to Lara. He had indeed passed the case of photography equipment onto another soldier, though that particular private stood close by, and had a large gun in his hands. Mason noticed Chapman’s broad shoulders and strong back, and she was glad he was up at the front with Lara._ _

___Her own personal bodyguard, _she thought back to herself.__ _ _

____The team advanced slowly as Lara stepped into the cliffside and shone a flashlight inside. There was nothing particularly stunning about what she found. After an initial gradual four foot dip, the ground leveled out and the setting looked much like the inside of the caverns she’d spent so much time exploring over the years. In fact, one who might’ve stumbled on it could have mistaken it for a cave. Aside from the dryness and the lack of stalagmites, it seemed entirely plausible._ _ _ _

____After taking a few steps in on her own, she motioned with an open palm._ _ _ _

____“Chapman and Squadron Alpha, forward with me,” she said softly, so softly that they barely heard the command._ _ _ _

____Her heart was hammering as she took another few steps and felt a familiar rush surge through her veins. She was back in her element. She was home. She felt goosebumps run up and down her arms and the hair at the back of her neck prickle. Her palms buzzed and her feet itched to lunge forward into the unknown, to prove herself worthy of her standing title as Lara Croft, Tomb Raider. But she had a crew to manage, and a certain young woman at the back of her team that she was now responsible for in more ways than one. Taking in a steadying breath, she centered herself and reined her adrenaline._ _ _ _

____“Responsibilities, Lara,” she whispered under her breath. “Jobs to do.”_ _ _ _

____She upped the wattage on the LED light clenched tightly in her fist and steadily swept the interior surrounding her._ _ _ _

____“Tunnels,” she mumbled._ _ _ _

____“Is that normal?” Chapman asked._ _ _ _

____Lara chuckled._ _ _ _

____“We’re exploring something untouched by man, Major,” Lara explained. “There’s no standard for normal yet.”_ _ _ _

____The bedrock did, indeed, branch out into tunnels, like an organic labyrinth of sorts. At first glance, there was no sign of life. Lara wasn’t sure if she felt relieved or disappointed at this._ _ _ _

____“How do we know which way to go?” Chapman asked._ _ _ _

____Lara pulled a spool of red conducting wire from her pack and brandished it._ _ _ _

____“Grab that rock, would you?” She asked, pointing towards a large one nearly the size of her own head. Chapman obeyed, picking it up (and to his credit, only staggering a little under its weight). Lara found the end of the spool and set it on the ground as Chapman laid the sturdy rock over it to hold it in place, taking a few steps forward and letting the wire unravel behind her._ _ _ _

____“So we can find our way back out,” she explained. Then, she turned to the crew._ _ _ _

____“From here on out, it’s going to get very dark,” she called, voice echoing off of the walls and bouncing even to those in the back of the group. “Flashlights out and arms at the ready. We have no idea what we’re going to find down here.”_ _ _ _

____The scientists began to shift nervously. Though most of them had been through extensive survival and combat training in preparation before being granted a spot on the team, they hadn’t an ounce of field experience. A few of them pulled out headphones, hand-helds, seismic readers and journals. But most of them seemed to collapse in on themselves as if forgetting why they were really there at all. The soldiers, alternatively, puffed up in nervous excitement._ _ _ _

____“Alright, research team and Squadron Beta, proceed. Tight in and eyes up.”_ _ _ _

____They continued into the hollow rock, the rest of the team falling in step with the front half. Lara felt nervous letting Mason into this side of her life, though she knew the anti-war photographer was more than equipped for that type of business. She worried her bottom lip between her teeth._ _ _ _

____“How do we choose which tunnel to go down?” Chapman repeated. There were really four possible options, but Lara had her eyes on the two that seemed to curve off to the right. So she pulled a penny from her pocket, the face of it slightly worn from use, and held it up before Chapman’s eyes._ _ _ _

____“Heads we take that third one, tails we take the one to its right,” she stated simply, gesturing with a nod. Then, she tossed the coin into the air with a flick of her thumb before catching it with a cup of her palm and flipping it upside down on her forearm. Pulling her hand away, it revealed the dulled profile of Abraham Lincoln. She looked up and shrugged._ _ _ _

____“The penny never lies.”_ _ _ _

____Pocketing the coin, she held her palm up once more, gesturing for the crew to follow her as she started towards the third tunnel._ _ _ _

____“Why do you have an American penny?” Chapman asked curiously. He stuck by her side rather than just behind her, which surprised the brunette, but not unpleasantly._ _ _ _

____“A gift from one of dad’s adventures,” she responded, smiling softly. But the mention of her father brought with it the memory of the meeting from that morning, and her smile faltered._ _ _ _

____“He bring you back lots of money?”_ _ _ _

____“When I was a kid,” Lara nodded. “He brought back everything. Coins, bills, figurines, things like that. I suppose to a five-year-old Brit, America seemed quite exotic.”_ _ _ _

____“What, are you kidding?” Chapman laughed. “Of course it's exotic. Who else drives on the right side of the road?”_ _ _ _

____Lara let herself smile because it was easier than fighting it. But her mind was still elsewhere. On Packard. On the meeting. On-_ _ _ _

____“Excuse me, _ma’am, _” Mathias spoke up from just behind them, emphasizing the formality a bit more than what might be considered polite. “But what exactly is the plan if we find something unfriendly down here?”___ _ _ _

______Lara did not turn back to look at him but kept her eyes pointed forward, under the cover that she was watching for any dramatic drops or inclines. She could hear the slight nasal quality in his voice, a byproduct of the splint that his broken nose was nestled in. She couldn’t bring herself to feel guilty._ _ _ _ _ _

______“We open fire,” Lara replied coldly._ _ _ _ _ _

______“And what if-”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“I appreciate your concern, Mr. Vogel, but we have enough trained soldiers here to take on the 300 Spartans of Greece. If that’s all?”  
Vogel didn’t press on, but she decided she’d better loosen up a little if she didn’t want his report back to Packard to be damning. Sighing, she glanced over her shoulder vaguely in his direction._ _ _ _ _ _

______“I do appreciate your concern, Mr. Vogel.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______She thought she saw him nod and scratch at the stubbly whiskers in his beard, and she turned back to face ahead of herself. Chapman trotted loyally at her side like the Labrador puppy her father had bought her when she was a little girl. She was still deciding whether or not she liked him._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Major, would you go check on Miss Weaver and see if she needs to swap any equipment or rotate within the group for better angles for pictures?” Lara asked the army major, hoping he couldn’t hear the questionable lack of apathy that she was gunning for in her voice. God, she had always been a dreadful actress._ _ _ _ _ _

______“You got it, boss,” Chapman said with a brisk nod, jogging back as Lara pressed the team forward. She waited in anticipation for a long time, forearms taught from the resistance of the bowstring and notched arrow in her hands. She grew antsy, not having anyone up at the front with her and knowing that Vogel was directly behind her and watching her every move. She took in a rattling breath, hoping her world-famous temper wouldn’t get the best of her this time._ _ _ _ _ _

______Finally, the sound of soft-soled combat boots jogging up behind her met Lara’s ears, and by the time she began to turn her head in the direction of the sound, Chapman had appeared at her right. His face was red and his eyes weary._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Well?” Lara asked._ _ _ _ _ _

______“She wasn’t in a very good mood,” Chapman mumbled. “She said she hasn’t taken a single picture yet because she can’t see over the scientists’ heads and it’s too dark at the back and she didn’t come all this way just to go on an underground hike at the back of a group of… well, I’m paraphrasing. I don’t think I’m allowed to quote her verbatim.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Lara shook her head and smiled softly. Sounded about right. Without slowing her stride or stopping the group, she called loudly over her shoulder._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Miss Weaver, if you wouldn’t mind meeting me up here for some photographs.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______She continued her slow and steady advance forward as she heard a set of faster footprints jog forward. She felt Mason at her side before she saw her and the blonde’s presence alone lifted a magnificent weight from Lara’s chest._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Miss Weaver.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Um… Miss… Croft?” Mason tried for the first time, and Lara’s heart flip-flopped for no goddamn reason._ _ _ _ _ _

______“I heard you were unsatisfied with your arrangements at the back of the team,” Lara continued, letting some authority slip easily into her tone. Since she hadn’t looked at Mason yet, she felt rather than saw the photographer’s playful glare._ _ _ _ _ _

______“You wouldn’t mind if I stayed up here, would you, _Miss Croft _?” Mason pressed. Lara felt a warmth pool at the pit of her stomach, which annoyed her.___ _ _ _ _ _

________“Actually,” came Mathias’s unwelcome voice from behind the pair, “I’m not sure that we’re supposed to-”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Of course, Miss Weaver, how else could we expect you to take representative photographs?” Lara interrupted. “Mr. Vogel, you don’t mind stepping aside for Miss Weaver, do you?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________This time, Lara did turn back to look at the archaeologist, and he looked like he minded a whole lot and would be complaining to Packard after the fact. But he relented with a dip of his head, and Mason fell into step just behind Lara, secretly wishing she had been allowed to stay up at the front beside the brunette._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________All things considered, the majority of the morning was vastly uneventful. The scientists scribbled away at their journals while a few of them held out their hand-held seismic readers with their headphones and watched the needle go crazy. Mason took photographs of the weaving tunnels, of the soldiers in formation, of Lara herself — one of which would be used on a front-page cover story in the following weeks when the rest of the world learned about Skull Island. Mathias observed Lara, and every once in a while during a rest stop, she would notice him peek over to a scientist’s journal and turn back quickly to his own journal to scribble something down. She tried not to let his behavior worry her and instead enjoy being back in her element._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________And then there was Mason._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Of course, there wasn’t a thing Lara loved more than adventuring into the unknown and learning and charting and pressing onward. But the inclusion of Mason, especially in such close proximity, added an extra level of excitement and wonder. The photographer would often step closer to the brunette under the ruse that she was searching for a better angle just to let her pinky brush against Lara’s hipbone. Occasionally, she would let her knuckles dust across the curve of Lara’s ass as she fell back into formation, and one time when she thought nobody was looking she even gave a gentle squeeze. Lara felt her breath hitch in her throat and decided finally she had enough. Another tunnel up ahead was branching off on the left, and Lara found Chapman’s gaze and tilted her head towards it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Major, organize a rest stop for the men. Miss Weaver and I need to use the restroom,” Lara insisted firmly. Chapman nodded, understanding (or so he thought) that the crew’s only two women needed their privacy as he turned to rest of the team to address them. Lara grabbed Mason’s wrist and dragged her to the tunnel, continuing until it curved away considerably enough that somebody just passing by the entrance wouldn’t be able to spot the two women. When she decided they were hidden enough, she grabbed the collar of Mason’s button-down and dragged her down to meet her own lips before roughly pushing the taller woman against the side of the bedrock wall._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Mason had the audacity to act surprised, as if she didn’t know exactly where Lara’s sudden hungriness was stemming from, but “indulged” the other woman as her arms wound tightly around Lara’s waist and crushed her body closer._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Why, Miss Croft, you are forward,” Mason purred against Lara’s needy lips._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Shut up, Mason,” Lara growled, fingers tangling in blonde locks and bringing her lips down onto the column of Mason’s throat._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Yes _ma’am _,” Mason mumbled, fingers dancing up Lara’s back. Lara’s lips buzzed with Mason’s husky timbre against the blonde’s tanned throat. “But you should know that I don’t take to being told what to do just everywhere.”___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Is that right?” Lara barely got out as she continued to kiss down to Mason’s clavicle and ran the tip of her tongue along a prominent collarbone. She felt Mason nod._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Mhm,” Mason continued cleverly. “You might be the boss out here, but back at the tent…”  
“ _Oh _.”___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Lara felt her knees wobble, and in the moment of weakness, Mason scooped her arm back around Lara’s waist steadily and switched their positions, trapping Lara between the wall and her own strong chest._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“So you just watch how cocky you get out here, baby,” Mason purred, nipping at Lara’s neck. “Because I get to go to bed with you tonight.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Lara wasn’t holding herself up anymore. Her hands were locked around Mason’s neck and she was hanging on for dear life. Mason’s hands were planted firmly on her ass and she was pulling Lara in closer, closer, so close that Lara felt her hips press into Mason’s. The new sensation sent Lara’s brain into overdrive as her hips bucked on her own accord and she clamped her eyes shut._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Sorry,” she sighed, until she felt Mason’s own hips return the gesture and her eyes rolled back in her head underneath her shut eyelids._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Don’t apologize, baby,” Mason prompted, kissing surprisingly softly at Lara’s neck before sucking down a little less than gently. Lara didn’t have the strength to remind Mason to be careful not to leave a hickey, and she wasn’t sure the blonde would listen right now even if she had._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“How much time until they start getting suspicious?” The brunette asked, feeling the muscles in her belly quiver and dance under Mason’s fingertips, which had somehow managed to slip under her shirt undetected until now._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“If I were them, I’d be suspicious already,” Mason replied coyly. “We should probably head back soon.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Lara huffed, letting her hips rock again into Mason’s. She smiled proudly when she felt the blonde falter, and then Mason’s hands were on Lara’s hips, though she knew there was no way they could possibly get any closer with their clothes as barriers. She gazed at Lara, unashamed, as she continued to grip her sturdy hips._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Lara cupped Mason’s jawline and brought the blonde back up to meet her lips and let a little chuckle slip out as a hand came to cup her cheek. She pulled back gently and pressed their foreheads together._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“I guess we should go back, huh?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Mason nodded and grumbled under her breath, her lips following Lara’s palm and kissing her hand gently._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“I’ll go back first,” Lara decided. “Then after a minute or two, you come out. Sound good?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Mason stepped out from between Lara’s legs and Lara sighed at the loss of contact and begrudgingly pushed herself off of the wall, pecking her photographer’s cheek once more before walking towards the main tunnel she knew the rest of the team was resting. Rounding the arching corner of the branch off, she found herself back in the main tunnel and the rest of the team came into her line of sight. But when she smiled to greet Chapman, his eyes were trained above her head._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________And that’s when she heard the earthen ceiling begin to splinter and crack._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My Alicia Vikander stans, how we feeling about that Danish Girl reference!!!


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all, shit gettin' crazy.

The vast majority of the team was on their feet once the first few chunks of ceiling had fallen, but it took only a matter of seconds for a massive stretch of the overhead bedrock to cave in, the late afternoon sun exploding in the tunnels. Rocks were still falling as Lara lunged towards the miniature hill now standing between herself and Mason Weaver.

“Mason!” Lara cried as she clambered over the rocks to reach the other side, hoping beyond hope that the photographer hadn’t been stuck inside of the rocky heap. Shifting unsteadily, she heard someone hastily climb up beside her and grab her hip.

“Lara, be careful-”

“Back off!” Lara hissed, chucking her elbow in Chapman’s direction, which he caught and used as leverage to steady the angry woman.

“Lara!” He insisted. “I know you’re worried. But you’re no good to her if you twist your ankle because you can’t slow down for two seconds.”

Lara decided it best she not argue, but she did jerk her arm back into herself as she continued up to the peak of the shifting bedrock beneath her feet and continued to cry out Mason’s name. The team at the bottom of the mound, to their credit, looked mildly concerned but wisely stood out of the way.

Lara had just crested the top of the rubble and was beginning her descent down on the other side when a soft string of curses met her ears.

“…mother-fucking goddamned piece of ass, no good, filthy fucking-”

“Mason!” Lara called out, spotting the photographer hugging the side of the rubble wall and massaging her leg at the calve. Mason looked up, and a mix of pain, relief, and nervousness swirling about in her caramel eyes.

“Lara, I’m good,” Mason insisted as the tomb raider approached her, less than gracefully, and collapsed to her knees at the blonde’s side. “Really, just…”

“Mason, holy shit,” Lara breathed, taking in the large gash in Mason’s calve, beginning at the knee cap and extending nearly all the way down to her ankle, stopping at the edge of the sturdy leather Timberlands she wore. Though the cut wasn’t that deep, rusty pearls of blood were seeping into the fabric of Mason’s pants and the possibility of infection pressed down heavily on Lara’s chest.

“It’s not that bad,” Mason insisted. “I’ll be fine, I just need to clean it.”

“You’re goddamn right, you need to clean it,” Lara huffed, untucking the bottom of her shirt to rip four inches from the hemline and wrapping the strip of fabric around Mason’s injury. “Clean it, bandage it, rest it-”

“Everything okay?” Chapman asked as he sidled up to Lara, gun in hand. “What happened?”

“It’s _just _a cut,” Mason groaned, tossing her head backward. “It’s not the end of the world.”  
“Chapman, carry Miss Weaver back over,” Lara interrupted suddenly, something flickering in her eyes. She squeezed Mason’s thigh gingerly and offered a soft smile before jumping to her feet and starting back up the mound. “I need to speak to someone with a Ph.D.”__

__Within seconds, Lara had clambered back over the mound towards the side with the rest of her team, where Mathias Vogel stood out looking suspiciously unbothered. Lara cast him a sideways glare as she pulled aside one of the more experienced scientists._ _

__“Why did the bedrock cave in, then?” She demanded. The scientist, nervous and mousy, pushed his glasses up his nose and held up his seismic reader._ _

__“I don’t know, my guess is it was just a freak accident-”_ _

__“Cut the bullshit, ace. I have a degree in archaeology and I cave dive for a living. I know when hollow ground isn’t stable. Now, why did the bedrock cave in?”_ _

__“Well, Miss Croft,” the scientist replied nervously, “all things considered, it really shouldn’t have. We were in one of the sounder areas, walking a pretty narrow path and underneath a considerably thin layer of bedrock. Unless something massive fell over it from nowhere, which obviously isn’t the case, then really there’s no reason the rock should have collapsed at all.”_ _

__Lara’s eyes narrowed to slits as she stepped back from the scientist and glanced once more at Mathias, who gazed back at her unabashedly. She hated his smarmy ability to look entirely guiltless and yet simultaneously like the cat who caught the canary._ _

__“Penny for your thoughts, Miss Croft?” He hummed. Lara opened her mouth, ready to remind him of how easily she could break his nose again when Chapman crested the mound with Mason’s arm slung around his neck, the latter limping down the rubble pitifully. Lara turned to Mathias and knotted her ponytail up into a quick bun._ _

__“We’ll be talking later, Vogel,” she promised before turning on her heel to run to Mason’s vacant side and help her down the steep decline._ _

__“I’ve paged Richard,” Chapman informed her as the trio made their shaky way down. “He said it’s close enough to call time that the team can go ahead and start heading back to camp, and he’d like to see you and Mas- uhh, Miss Weaver in his tent before dinner.”_ _

__Lara nodded her thanks and subtly appreciated the care Chapman took to address Mason as respectfully as he did. Glancing back at Vogel once more, she realized that this was not a courtesy she could expect from every male on her crew._ _

__“You’re a good guy, Chap,” Lara decided, christening him with the new name. “I like you.”  
“Sorry I gave you shit about my equipment,” Mason mumbled under her breath, and Lara felt the tone shift at last as a humorous smile graced her lips._ _

__“You did good,” Chapman chuckled, giving Mason a soft squeeze. “You’ll be happy to know your case is fine.”_ _

__Lara glanced down at the camera hanging around Mason’s neck by her prized leather strap and was relieved to find that, at face-value, the equipment had escaped unscathed. She wouldn’t have been surprised if Mason had sustained her injury in an attempt to protect her beloved camera._ _

__“What’s so funny?” Mason pressed as the trio made it back to the ground safely and Lara swooped down immediately to inspect Mason’s leg, tugging the taller woman to sit down with her._ _

__“Was I laughing?” Lara covered, inspecting the exposed flesh._ _

__“You were smiling, at that’s a pretty uncommon state of being for Lara Croft: Badass Extraordinaire.”_ _

__Lara looked up at Mason, glancing about quickly to make sure they were relatively out of earshot, and lowered her voice._ _

__“I’m glad you’re okay.”_ _

__Mason smiled and winked._ _

__“Can’t get rid of me that quickly, princess.”_ _

__Lara shook her head as she tightened the knot of the makeshift tourniquet and Mason hissed another string of profanities._ _

__“Call me princess in front of the rest of the team a little louder, why don’t you?”_ _

__“Are you going to be this much fun all the way back to camp?”_ _

__Lara scoffed as she stood and helped Mason to her feet, wrapping the taller woman’s arm around her own waist before turning to the expectant team._ _

__“Alright, everyone, we’re leaving the bedrock through our makeshift manhole and making our way back to camp aboveground. Mathias, I want you up here at the front beside me, please. Miss Weaver will walk between myself and Major Chapman. Everyone else, Squadrons Alpha and Beta, my scientists, just as you were. Let’s move out.”_ _

__* * *_ _

__About halfway through the trek back to camp, Lara gave up fighting her impulse to assist Mason and wrapped her arm around the blonde’s hip sturdily. They weren’t in the bedrock, anyway, and should anything happen there were dozens of trained soldiers with guns at the ready. By the time Group D had made its way back to camp, Mason’s left arm was slung around Lara’s neck and their sides were pressed together from hip to shoulder._ _

__Lara was surprised to find that most of the teams had already made it back, save for Packard’s. Richard and Conrad were waiting for them outside of Richard’s tent and the two men quickly approached._ _

__“You guys are dismissed,” Lara called lamely over her shoulder to her team, suddenly wary of the debrief she knew she’d be delivering to her father in a moment. Everyone eagerly dispersed, heading towards their respective tents. All but Vogel, who clung to Lara’s side nearly as tightly as the photographer halfway wrapped up in her arms._ _

__“What the hell happened?” Richard asked, more concerned than angry. The same couldn’t be said for Conrad, who was already kneeling beside Mason and inspecting her injury. He’d brought along a first aid kit and hastily tore off Lara’s makeshift tourniquet._ _

__“I knew I should’ve had you on my team,” Conrad growled, tossing the strip of Lara’s shirt to the side, along with a piece of her pride. “I should’ve had you here, where I could see you, where I could keep you safe.”_ _

__“Hey, James, take it easy,” Mason placated. “What happened had nothing to do with-”_ _

__“Instead I let you run off with some little girl because you had a crush-”_ _

__“Hey!” Lara barked, ignoring the itch to connect the toe of her boot with the point of Conrad’s chin. “You watch your mouth!”_ _

__Conrad stood, Mason’s wound bandaged haphazardly, and leveled with the Croft heir, his shoulders squaring._ _

__“And what’s Lara Croft gonna do if I don’t?”_ _

__Mason, who had been watching the standoff between the proud, egotistical Brits, decided she’d had enough. Springing forward on her good leg, she placed firm palms on each of their chests, pushing them apart with a strength that surprised and subdued the both of them._ _

__“Can everyone just calm the fuck down for a second?” She spat, locking her elbows to separate the two. Richard, who had also been quiet till now, stepped forward tentatively._ _

__“Indeed, might we all just… calm… down?” He rephrased gently, extending a hand. Looking to Lara, he raised an eyebrow questioningly. She swallowed._ _

__“Dad, I’d like to talk to you. Alone.”_ _

__“No, I don’t think so.”_ _

__Everyone turned in the direction of the new voice, discovering Packard and his team approaching the laser tripwire of the camp, which had been disabled for the time being. “Anything you’d like to say to Richard, you can say to the rest of the team leaders. Inside. In private,” he added with a glance toward Mason._ _

__“If Vogel can be in the leader’s meetings, then Mason, can, too.”_ _

__“Nonsense,” Richard intervened. “This isn’t a plus one situation. Lara, Packard, Conrad, inside. We’ll discuss whatever Lara has to say as a group. Miss Weaver, Vogel, if you’ll kindly wait outside.”_ _

__“Dad,” Lara whispered in a hushed breath as Packard and Conrad made their way into the tent. “I’m not leaving her with that man.”_ _

__“So there’s some truth to what Conrad said?” Richard asked, quirking an eyebrow._ _

__“Wh- dad, that isn’t important. Listen to me-”_ _

__“We need to go inside,” Richard interrupted. “They’re getting antsy.”_ _

__Richard turned on his heel and marched into the tent, leaving Lara stammering._ _

__“Better get inside, princess,” Vogel sneered from behind her. “Daddy’s calling.”_ _

__Lara began to turn, ready to tear that slimy little tongue out of his face when a strong hand grabbed her by the wrist. Looking to her right, she saw the owner of the sturdy grip was the only person in the entire world she didn’t currently want to dropkick._ _

__“Lara, you’re gonna make it worse,” Mason murmured. “Just go inside.”_ _

__Lara sighed and knew that she was right. She nodded, sent one glare over her shoulder in Vogel’s direction, and slipped inside the tent._ _

__“Finally,” Conrad mumbled under his breath. “Took you long enough. I thought we decided we weren’t speaking to people in private anymore?”_ _

__“Just whose side are you on, anyway?” Lara bit back._ _

__“Hey, there aren’t any sides here,” Richard intercepted. “Come on, now, we’re all here for the same reasons.”_ _

__“No, dad, I don’t think we are,” Lara said bluntly. All eyes turned to her, Richard’s mouth slightly agape._ _

__“And what exactly do you mean by that, Miss Croft?” Packard leveled._ _

__“I know why you’re really here,” Lara breathed out, pulling from her pocket a tiny journal and slapping it on the table. “I’m not a fool, I know about everything. And there’s no way I’m going to let you-”_ _

__“Lara, not another word,” Richard interrupted, grabbing her small journal and thrusting it back in her hands. “I mean it. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”_ _

__Lara’s eyes narrowed towards her father._ _

__“Dad, you know-”_ _

__“Enough!”_ _

__Lara swallowed, eyeing the other men beside her. Packard had a distant look in his eyes, the same look she’d seen in men who were preparing to pull a trigger. Conrad, alternatively, looked confused and ready for answers. She could sympathize with that, at least._ _

__“Alright,” Lara grumbled. “Fine. Forget I said anything. But when shit hits the fan and we’re left stranded on this god-forsaken island, you’ll only have yourself to thank for it.”_ _

__Storming out of the tent, she smacked straight into Mason, their heads knocking together painfully._ _

__“Oh god, I’m so sorry,” Lara stammered immediately, grasping Mason’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”_ _

__“I’m fine, Lara, I’m really okay. Listen, what were you talking about in-”_ _

__Lara slapped her palm down over Mason’s mouth, bringing their faces close together._ _

__“Not a word,” she whispered, looking over her shoulder to make sure none of the other men had followed her outside the tent, and checking that Vogel had indeed scurried off to his own. “We need to get out of here.”_ _

__Lara dragged Mason back to their shared tent and helped the blonde onto the cot, easing her boot off and rolling up the stiff pant leg of Mason’s slacks. She rummaged through the luggage in the corner and located her own first aid kit, pulling out a bottle of isopropyl and some cotton bandages._ _

__“Did you see anything before the bedrock caved in?” Lara asked, sprinkling the alcohol over Mason’s cut._ _

__“Ow, fucking hell, Lara!”_ _

__Mason tried sitting up her palms, but Lara quickly pushed her back down with a gentle firmness that told Mason not to try it again._ _

__“No, I didn’t see anything, I just saw the rocks coming down and then I cut my leg. Look, I wanted to ask you about what you said in the tent-”_ _

__“You weren’t supposed to be listening to that.”_ _

__Lara wrapped Mason’s leg in a cotton bandage doused in hydrogen peroxide, her fingers smoothing over the edges._ _

__“But I want to know what-”_ _

__Lara interrupted with a surge forward, urgently attaching her lips to Mason’s and letting her heart catch up to her head. Pulling away, she nuzzled their noses together and sighed as the day’s events caught up with her and swelled heavily in her chest._ _

__“You weren’t supposed to be listening.”_ _

__Collapsing on her side, the shorter woman curled into Mason, her head falling against a broad shoulder. Her hand came up to play with the ring held by a chain around the photographer’s neck, the tips of her fingers slipping in and out of the band as she worried her bottom lip between her teeth._ _

__“That scared me,” the raider finally admitted. “What happened today. I really got scared. I thought I’d lost you. And I realized what it would mean to me if I ever did.”_ _

__“What would it mean?” Mason asked, her arm coming up to wrap around Lara’s shoulders. The latter looked up through hooded lashes into her new lover’s face, feeling the terror and worry she had felt earlier that day come flooding back to her. For the second time that day, she leaned up into the photographer and attached their lips in a needy kiss, and hoped Mason couldn’t feel the tear that slipped down her cheek. After a few moments, she pulled back and resettled against Mason’s shoulder._ _

__“If you get yourself killed, Mace, I’ll kill you.”_ _

__Mason chuckled and let her fingers travel into Lara’s hair, massaging the brunette’s scalp._ _

__“I don’t think that’s how it works, baby.”_ _

__There was more to be done, more to be said. About Conrad’s blow up, about the cave-in, about the separation brewing between Packard and Richard, and who would be on which side, and what it would mean for the expedition. But they had time. It could wait. Lara fell asleep against Mason, breathing staggering with each gentle swirl of the blonde’s fingers and pull of her lungs._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I live for doctoring fluff, and this pair makes it so easy. As usual, kudos and reviews are my crack. Also, if you didn't notice, I've charted out each chapter and we're looking at a 22 chapter fic! Depending on how it's received, I'll think about the possibility of a sequel or some one-shots for this beautiful pair. And for those who follow galaxyalycia, we're gonna start incorporating some heavy inspiration here in a second, so get psyched for that!


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My friends!!! I am SO SORRY for the wait! University and finals have been kicking my ass, and also (definitely on a more positive note) I’ve recently got a girlfriend! So I’ve been dedicating a lot of time to studies as well as her, but I would never dream of abandoning this fic. I have everything charted out, it’s just a matter of writing it!
> 
> About this chapter, it's a bit more action, but the next one will have a good hunk of fluff, angst, and other romantic bullshit that I know y'all are here for,s o just stay tuned.
> 
> Thank you guys for reading this, I’m so happy you’d take the time to read my work! <3

Eyes darting back and forth between Packard, whose gun was trained on Richard, and Vogel, whose knife was starting to draw pretty pearls of blood from the curve of Mason’s throat, Lara found herself seriously considering early retirement.

The morning hadn’t even started off that badly, much to the tomb raider’s surprise. She’d expected hostility amongst the crew during the early debrief. As the only commander to have ventured into the bedrock before, she was in charge of preparing her father, Packard, and Conrad, while Chapman debriefed the masses of soldiers and the scientists stood idly by. In fact, things had gone so smoothly that morning that Lara nearly forgot the tiny journal that had been burning a hole in her pocket all day. She nearly forgot about the animosity brewing amongst the crew. As she led the teams through the bedrock, she nearly forgot about the cave-in yesterday that had nearly cost her her most precious discovery to date.

Lara had been oblivious to Packard’s and Richard’s hushed discourses, as the two men had taken up the back of the team for privacy’s sake. She didn’t notice their voices rising or Packard’s growing irritation as she glanced to her side and watched Mason screw on a night vision lens to her chunky Kodak. And she certainly didn’t notice the signal that Vogel, who stood very near the front of the group, in fact falling in step just behind her, sent over his shoulder to nearly three-fourths of the crew.

Lara _did _notice the chorus of hammers being clicked back, and turned to look over her shoulder just in time to see a sea of guns trained on herself.__

__“What… in the hell…”_ _

__She slowly reached for the gun strapped to her right thigh, but Packard stepped forward, clicking his tongue._ _

__“Now, now, Miss Croft,” he placated, extending a hand to take the weapon. “There’s no need for this to get messy. After all, you knew this was coming, right? You told everyone yesterday at the meeting.”_ _

__Lara swallowed and abandoned her pursuit of the gun, knowing she’d sooner bite the Lieutenant’s hand off before giving him her prized weapon. Her hands hung at her sides uselessly as she found her father’s gaze once more, staring at him pointedly._ _

__“Dad?” She asked gently, though, from the number of guns trained on him, she figured he had no clue this had been coming. He shook his head._ _

__“I’m no part of this, Sprout.”_ _

__Lara let her eyes wander about and quickly determined who was in on the coup. It seemed the majority of the soldiers had sided with Packard and Vogel, and plenty of the scientists seemed suspiciously calm as well. That left only about half of the scientists, a handful of soldiers, Richard, Chapman, Conrad, and Mason._ _

__Mason._ _

___Oh god. ____ _

____The photographer’s camera hung unsupported around her neck and her right hand hung at the knife on her hip. It seemed that Packard and Vogel deemed her unthreatening enough, seeing as she wasn’t in a line of fire, but Lara knew better. She knew what Mason could do. She also knew that in a cave full of hundreds of guns, whatever Mason was planning, she would lose._ _ _ _

____But Mason was not looking back at Lara. She was looking at Packard, his own weapon still trained on the Croft heir, and she was unbuttoning her knife sheath._ _ _ _

____“Mason, put it down!” Lara found herself bellowing, lunging forward and stopping only at the feeling the cold tip of Packard’s 9 millimeter against her sternum._ _ _ _

____“Lara, back!” Richard barked, surging forward as if to stop her. Vogel kicked the taller man in the knee, hard, sending Richard to the ground. Lara yelped, suddenly unsure where to send her attention._ _ _ _

____At this point, Vogel had abandoned Richard and darted in behind Mason, who had succeeded in unsheathing her knife but not in maintaining a steady grip on it. Wrestling it out of her grip, he used his left arm to hook the photographer’s waist as he raised her own knife to her throat. With Richard grunting on the ground and Mason in the arms of a mutineer, Lara felt a cold sweat prickle down her back. She was also becoming painfully aware of the cold steel pushing into her own chest. Looking forward, her eyes met Packard’s._ _ _ _

____“Are you going to tell us what’s going on?” She growled, feeling the sound low in her gut._ _ _ _

____“What, you’re telling me you don’t know?” Packard joked sarcastically. “I thought you knew everything, Lara.”_ _ _ _

____“I think we deserve an explanation, at least,” she retorted. “I imagine you must need something from us considering we’re not dead yet.”_ _ _ _

____“Lara, don’t be a smartass,” Richard warned through gritted teeth, clutching his knee. Lara swallowed — it was definitely broken._ _ _ _

____“Yes, Lara,” Packard repeated, his smile fading as he pulled the gun from her chest and trained it on her father, never breaking eye contact. “Don’t be a smartass.”_ _ _ _

____Her eyes grew big, but Richard seemed unbothered. He found her gaze instead._ _ _ _

____“It’s alright, darling. You can do this.”_ _ _ _

____Lara still wasn’t quite sure what “this” was, but was beginning to recognize her unofficial promotion to leader of the loyalists. Packard, who obviously was heading the mutineers, tapped his thumb against the grip of the gun and gazed at her expectantly as he spoke at last._ _ _ _

____“There’s something on this island.”_ _ _ _

____Lara felt a huge weight lift from her chest. Finally, someone had said it. After days of walking on eggshells, finally she at least knew what was causing the strain._ _ _ _

____“But you already knew that, didn’t you?” Packard continued, gesturing to the lump in her pocket from her journal. “You wrote it all down in your diary.”_ _ _ _

____“I knew you’d read it,” Lara growled. “I knew you were dirty the second I saw you.”_ _ _ _

____“Careful now, Lara, your dad still has one good knee.”_ _ _ _

____Lara glanced at her father, checking in that he was alright, and looked back at Mason to make sure she was still holding out. The blonde, who was nearly as tall as her captor in her boots, held herself steady, though there was a fierce sweat glistening on her brow. There was hate in her eyes as she stared down Packard, who likely wasn’t even registering her presence. Lara glanced at Vogel, his nails digging unforgivingly into Mason’s abdominals, and felt her teeth clench._ _ _ _

____“Lara, what’s he talking about?” Mason questioned, her throat bobbing dangerously against the blade held to her._ _ _ _

____“So you haven’t told your girlfriend?” Vogel spoke up, turning to nuzzle his nose against Mason’s cheek repulsively. “Some skeletons in the closet, Lara?”_ _ _ _

____“Lara?” Mason begged, her eyes pleading._ _ _ _

____“Uh-oh. Trouble in paradise,” Packard tutted. “Not to worry, you’re going to have plenty of time to explain everything to Miss Weaver when we seal this cave up. With you inside, of course. But first,” the gun cocked, “you’re going to tell us how to find it.”_ _ _ _

____It was too late to play dumb, her blowup last night in the tent struck that option from her list. More beads of blood were cascading down the hollow of Mason’s throat and her dad, fight as he may, was beginning to grunt from the pain shooting through his leg._ _ _ _

____“If you read my journal, then you know where it is. What do you need me for?”_ _ _ _

____Packard shrugged._ _ _ _

____“Sure, we know where it is. But we don’t know how to get there. That’s where you come in."_ _ _ _

____At last, Lara had a play. She had been dealt a hand she could manipulate._ _ _ _

____“I’m obviously not going to tell you if you’re just going to kill everyone. But if you let them go, I’ll tell you how to find it. Hell, I’ll do you one better and take you there myself."_ _ _ _

____Packard quirked a brow at this, glancing over his shoulder at Vogel to see what the other man thought. Vogel just shrugged unhelpfully._ _ _ _

____“Think about it!” Lara continued. “You don’t know how dangerous it could be. I can be your pawn, I can test the rope ladders and leap across the chasms that you can’t. And once you find it, you can do whatever you want with me. Just let them go and I can make you the richest men on earth. What do you say?”_ _ _ _

____Packard smiled._ _ _ _

____“Lara Croft, you’ve got yourself a de-”_ _ _ _

____“NO!” Came the voice of James Conrad as he lunged out of the sea of soldiers and flung himself between Packard and Lara, grabbing Packard’s wrist and twisting the gun. It fired into the ceiling of the cave, and the bang was enough to send the claustrophobic team, now pitted against each other, into a frenzied mob._ _ _ _

____“What the fuck!” Lara bellowed at Conrad, who had wrestled the gun out of Packard grip and was using it to the hold the Lieutenant steady. Distantly, Lara noticed Mason throw Vogel over her shoulder and take back control of her knife as soldiers began to grapple._ _ _ _

____“I couldn’t let you tell him, Lara, he wasn’t going to let us go!” Conrad spat back, eyes darting frantically between the raider, Packard, and Mason, who was successfully kicking Vogel’s ass._ _ _ _

____“I wasn’t going to tell him anything, you fucking buffoon!” Lara yelped, dodging the stock of a gun aimed at the back of her head and planting and uppercut so hard into the offending soldier’s chin that she heard a crack._ _ _ _

____Conrad wavered for just a minute, realization washing over him._ _ _ _

____“Oh. Shit.”_ _ _ _

____But the equal opposite reaction was already in effect. The loyalists and mutineers were at each other’s throats, pulling out knives, picks, and even an ax or two. No guns were fired based on the mutual understanding that one wrong vibration could send the bedrock tumbling down and bury them alive, so the fighting quickly became creative. The floor of the cave was slowly beginning to run with blood, and Lara was becoming painfully aware of the number of motionless bodies littering the space. Something needed to be done, and quickly._ _ _ _

____“Conrad, you’re a goddamn idiot and I’ll deal with you later, but right now we need to get these people out of here,” Lara sighed, grabbing the compact bow slung over her shoulder and notching an arrow. “Most of the people fighting with us don’t know a thing about combat, and they’re all about to be killed.”_ _ _ _

____Conrad nodded, swooping behind Packard and knotting his hands together with the chord stowed at his hip. He gave a solid kick to the Lieutenant’s stomach to keep him down for a minute or two to buy some time. Lara, meanwhile, spotted Chapman. With a jerk of her head, he came sprinting to her side. Finally, she choked down the doubt in her throat and sought out Mason, relieved to find that she was alright. Better than, really — her knife had found a home in a soldier’s thigh and he was screaming for mercy._ _ _ _

____“Mason!” Lara bellowed, and the blonde’s head snapped to their direction. Finding the photographer’s eyes, Lara was unpleasantly surprised to find an anger burning in them that seemed to be directed at her. Still, Mason yanked the knife brutally out of the soldier’s leg and dodged the fighting to join the group that was forming._ _ _ _

____“Alright, we have to be outnumbered four to one,” Lara ground out. “That means our only chance here is to run. Chapman, I need you to get my dad, put him over your shoulder. Then get the hell out of here and wait for the rest of us to join you. Conrad, take care of Packard and Vogel. Mason and I are going to lead everyone out of here and make sure we aren’t followed. We need to separate our people from the mutineers as well as we can and get the bad guys on the western side of the cave. Once that happens, every one of our guys who has a gun needs to fire as many bullets as rapidly as they can into the ceiling of the cave and run for their fucking lives. So when you hear the first gun, make sure you book it to the east side and start firing. Is that clear?”_ _ _ _

____There were nods of affirmation and the group rapidly dispersed. Lara met Mason’s gaze again._ _ _ _

____“Are you ready?”_ _ _ _

____Mason didn’t respond but with a curt nod, her jaw clenching so tightly that the muscle bubbled. She wiped her bloody knife against her thigh and plunged back into the madness, swinging with a ferocity Lara had not seen before._ _ _ _

____Chapman and Richard were out, and Lara thanked whoever was watching from above as she drew the arrow back and aimed it at Vogel, who was kicking a scientist on the ground repeatedly. Breathing in, letting a sort of calmness take her, she sent it forward and watched as it made a home lodged in Vogel’s hand._ _ _ _

____A scream, a glare, and he was running at her, grabbing his gun with his good hand and aiming it at her head. But before he could fire, a force was throwing Lara to the ground and knocking the breath out of her lungs._ _ _ _

____Mason was hovering over her. That was all Lara saw as she heard Vogel’s gun go off. He missed both of them, all thanks to Mason, but the tiny explosion echoed around the walls of the cave and sent the loyalists into action. Within seconds, the deafening sounds of weapons discharging rang throughout the cave as bullets riddled the ceiling. Chaos ensued as both sides scrambled to get out from under the rocks that were already beginning to hail down._ _ _ _

____“Get up, Mason!” Lara cried, but a hunk of rock came plummeting down, landing squarely on the photographer’s back, knocking her down and pinning them both to the cave floor. Realizing that standing and running was no longer an option, Lara reached her arms around to protect Mason’s head, clutching the woman tightly to her person as they were quickly buried in the rubble._ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't give them a break. But fret not, I think you laddies are going to rather enjoy the next chapter.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen to me it is about to get so fucking soft and gay I just need to make them hurt a little first please keep reading omg
> 
> I love you guys!

The first thing Mason became consciously aware of was the aching pain enveloping her entire body.

Eyes peeking open tentatively, she discovered the only source of light was a warm glow coming from somewhere at her right, and the rocky ceiling indicated that she was still in the bedrock. Feeling a wave of anxiety wash over her, adrenaline roused her senses quickly, and with it, the pain began to double. Grunting and rolling on her side, she discovered that she had been made a makeshift pallet out of Lara’s jacket and stretch of cotton wrap wadded up. Was she not in danger, after all?

Voiced pricked at her ears, and she stilled her movements to gauge her surroundings.

“-to calm down, Lara.”

That was James.

“My dad is still out there, Conrad, and Mason was nearly killed!”

“And you’re no good to either of them if you run into Packard’s camp, bow or 9 mils. The only reason Richard is still alive is to use him as leverage to get answers from you, but if they have to, they won’t hesitate to kill him. Or you, for that matter.”

That was Major Chapman, Mason knew. She liked him. She was glad he had sided with them. Straining her ears, she was surprised to find the next voice was much closer to her person — just above her, in fact.

“She’s up!”

Mason opened her eyes to discover the face of the expedition’s on-site doctor, a kind-looking woman whose warmth was diminished by the pair of gnarly tweezers she held in her hand.

“Hey, Miss Weaver. I’m Dr. Patterson. Took a nasty fall back there. We don’t think you’ve got a concussion, but it’s really hard to tell without any of my equipment. You’re lucky nothing broke. A few bits of gravel in your tissue, but nothing I can’t-”

“Mason!”

Lara’s voice cracked as she swooped over to the photographer, dropping to her knees and pressing a calloused hand to a soft cheek.

“Darling, how are you?”  
In any other circumstances, Mason’s heart would have fluttered at the term of endearment, but the blood was pounding painfully in her head, and the ghost of anger was beginning to bubble in her chest. She tried to push herself up onto her palms but slipped clumsily and landed on her back, wincing at the pain. Against Lara’s protests, she attempted again and succeeded.

“Wh… hap…”  
“Don’t talk,” Lara prompted, her fingers dusting over Mason’s lips, for whatever reason frustrating the blonde more.

“Lara,” Mason grunted weakly.

“Yes?” Lara asked desperately, leaning in close.

“How can I tell you how I am if I’m not allowed to talk?”

Lara let out a hearty laugh, assuming the tension had broken, as a tear slipped down her cheek and she buried her face in the crook of Mason’s neck.

“God, you just have to be a hero, don’t you?”  
Mason couldn’t help but soak in Lara’s embrace, just for a moment. She was angry, but she was also hurting, hurting and afraid.

“After you saved Lara, we had to dig you out as quickly as we could,” Conrad explained, approaching the pair. “Lara was still awake, she was able to push off a lot of the rubble, and she dragged you out of the bedrock. It’s just you two, Chapman and I. A couple of scientists, maybe ten soldiers. We’re trying to figure out what to do next.”  
“I know exactly what to do next,” Lara growled, pulling from Mason and standing back to her feet. “My dad is the only one who can get us off this island safely. I need to find him.”

“Lara, for the last time, you are outnumbered!”

“Then come with me!”  
“We would all be outnumbered, Lara,” Chapman interceded again, more calmly than Conrad. “You wouldn’t be able to take him on anyway. They would kill you before you even found Richard, and you don’t even know if he’s ali-”

“Shut your mouth!” Lara barked, stomping towards Chapman and leveling with the taller man. He sighed solemnly and shook his head, opening his mouth as if to say something more before deciding against the idea and stepping aside.

“Don’t I get a say in all this?” Mason croaked, shifting on her palms. Lara looked down at her, remembering the photographer’s presence.

“Mason, you need to rest.”

“I don’t need rest, Lara,” Mason insisted, deciding then to rise to her feet and successfully pushing aside Lara’s attempts to sedate her. “I need answers.”

Lara’s eyes darkened — she knew exactly what the other woman was talking about. Still, she tried one last time at playing the fool.

“Answers to what?”

“Don’t pretend, Lara,” Mason groaned, pushing past her and towards her knife and sheath, which were set neatly on a large rock. Pushing the belt through her pant loops, she glowered. “What treasure was Packard talking about?”

Lara sighed, stepping towards the large rock and sitting on top of it, hoping for Mason to do the same. She did not. It was clear now that all there was to do was tell the truth.

“The Treasure of Lima.”

Mason blinked. Lara gazed back at her, waiting for her to catch up.

“What is that, what does that even mean?” Mason finally asked frustratedly, sitting next to Lara on the rock. Conrad drug his hand down his face and took Chapman’s arm, leading the major towards the resting soldiers. Lara took a deep breath and continued.

“After the Spanish defeated the Incan Empire in the sixteenth century, they started accumulating and storing their wealth in the city of Lima. It worked out pretty okay until a revolt began in Spain and the Spanish government decided the treasure wasn’t safe anymore. This British bloke named Thompson was supposed to take the treasure and sail around for a bit until everything settled down, but he decided he wanted the treasure for himself, so he killed the Spanish guards and buried the treasure. He was found, though, and his entire crew was captured and killed. Today the treasure is expected to be valued around $200 million.”

Mason blinked, opened her mouth, and closed it again.

“So you think this treasure of… of Lima… is on Skull Island?”

“On the contrary,” Lara answered, “we know it is. And Packard found out, too.”

“So you’re here for money, not in the name of science,” Mason concluded, putting two and two together.

“What? Mace, no, you have to believe me-”

“You’re already a millionaire, Lara.”

“Mason, dad and I aren’t here for money.”

“Then why are you here?!” Mason demanded, standing and stepping away. “Why could you possibly be here?”

Lara bit her lip, looking down guiltily.

“Would you believe me if I say it’s because that treasure belongs in a museum?”

“Argh! Lara, you are insufferable!”

Lara felt her heart sink as the taller woman stormed over to Conrad, but she knew this was for the best. The less Mason knew, the safer she was. And the less Mason paid attention to her, the easier this next bit was going to be. Checking around to make sure nobody was paying attention, the Croft heir holstered her 9 mils, slung her bow over her back, and slipped out of the cave silently.

Conrad noticed after nearly an hour had passed, and after a rapid search of the campsite, a frantic search party consisting of Conrad, Chapman, Mason, and two privates was sent out in pursuit.

“We shouldn’t have kept her out of our sights,” Chapman huffed as they walked, obviously singling out Conrad. The latter simply rolled his eyes.

“I don’t even think we should be out here at all. Lara is a smart woman, she can find her way back on her own without putting anyone else in danger. And Mason, it isn’t too late for you to turn around and head back.”

Mason didn’t respond, she didn’t even seem to register Conrad’s words. Her eyes stayed fixed ahead and her hands trembled, gripping the weapon in her hands so tightly that her knuckles were turning white. Her finger lingered an inch from the trigger of the Desert Eagle squeezed between her palms.

Mason Weaver hated guns.

Conrad shook his head, turning his gaze instead back to the path. The sun had set and the forested area was dark and damp from the day’s dodgy rains. On more than one occasion, a boot was caught under a tree root or mud would shift underneath a sole and bring down one unlucky individual, but the group pressed on, unsure of where they were going and hoping Chapman’s compass could guide them back to camp eventually. Mason, for one, had sworn to herself that she wouldn’t see the inside of that cave again until she had Lara in tow.

She tried not to include “dead or alive” at the end of that sentiment.

Suddenly, the not-so-distant sound of a gunshot alerted the small group, all six individuals halting immediately and raising their eyes to the start sky.

“That was a 9 mil,” Conrad concluded gravely. All of the soldiers on the island were equipped with assault rifles or shotguns — only Lara had brought 9 millimeters to Skull Island.

“Fuck,” Conrad added when he saw the telltale flicker in Mason’s eyes just before the blonde began to sprint in the direction of the sound. Quickly following the noise was an angry shout and a rapid rain of gunshots.

Conrad sprinted after Mason, which prompted Chapman and the privates to follow suit. They caught up just in time to see her dig her heels into the dirt, raise her 50 caliber, and fire off 7 rounds into the chest of the soldier standing above a bleeding Lara Croft.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wait! The weather forecast is cloudy with a 110% chance of the biggest lesbian activity you ever saw!
> 
> Also, I don't think it's possible for me to end a chapter without one of them getting Big Hurt.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In an “I’m sorry for putting them through so much shit / also for taking SOOOO long to update,” here’s a long fluffy chapter! I am sorry, guys. Long gone are the days of summer where I could update once a week. Between university and my girl (my GIRL I love saying it!) I’m just so whumped. But the train of progress presses on ever so slowly, and I haven’t forgotten about y’all or my guilty pleasure fic. Thanks for reading, again!

Lara blinked her eyes open, aware of nothing but the ringing in her ears and a foggy shape standing above her. Shifting onto her palms, a sharp, stinging pain shot through her abdomen and she collapsed in on herself, gasping for breath. She let a shaky hand reach for her belly and found a warm, tacky puddle. Pulling her hand away, she found it covered in blood. Looking up, her vision swirled into focus and she recognized Mason’s face.

Mason looked like a madman sprung out of hell. Her arms trembled but her hand steadily gripped the pistol clenched in her right hand, and the gentle stream of smoke spouting from the pistol’s entrance indicated the gun had already been fired.

“Mm…” Lara tried, her lips sticking together. Grinding her teeth together in frustration, she tried again. “Mmace…”

Pushing her hand against her abdomen, she tried again to get up, beginning to roll into a fetal position before falling against a new character.

Lara jumped. She knew this man, she recognized his face. She had looked into his eyes just a few moments before as he smashed a bottle into her stomach. There was a knife clutched tightly in his hand, and his eyes were open. He wasn’t dead. He trembled in shock and at the knowledge of his impending death.

She wanted to pull away, but she was too weak. So she laid, pressed into the side of her would-be killer, watching the life seep out of his eyes. He was still breathing faintly when a strong hand planted itself on her shoulder and Mason’s voice broke through the fog in her ears.

“Lara!” Mason cried. “Lara, are you okay? Come on Lara, speak to me.”

She sat down on her haunches, cradling Lara’s face in her palms.

“Come on Lara, hang in there. Are you okay?”

“I’m… okay,” Lara sputtered out, coughing a little and feeling the glass tear deeper into her flesh. She groaned in pain.

“Fuck.”

“Hold still, baby,” Mason soothed, wiping the sweat off of Lara’s brow. “You’re safe now, it’s just me and the boys. We got the rest of them. Jesus Christ, what were you trying to do? Lara, are you okay?”

“I’m here, I’m okay,” Lara repeated. “I just — agh!”

She cried out in pain, and Mason’s brows knit closer together as her eyes searched the tomb raider’s face.

“I think… I think there’s something… something inside…”

Mason’s eyes traveled over Lara’s body and discovered the shard of glass which had found a new home inside the brunette. She felt both worry and relief — at least this she knew she could fix, but it was going to hurt like a bitch.

“Don’t move, okay Lara?” Mason insisted. “You’re safe now. It’s just us.”

Lara nodded, and Mason traced a gentle finger down the injured woman’s cheek delicately before calling out to one of the privates to bring the first aid kit she had smartly insisted they carry along.

“One day,” Mason huffed as she pushed a cotton pad into Lara’s lower abs, “we’re going to go a single fucking evening without one of us doing some stupid thing for the other to freak out over and scramble to fix.”  
Lara’s gaze was hazy through her hooded eyes. Conrad and Chapman stood a tasteful few feet away, though a sweet concern dusted Chapman’s features. Even Conrad’s brows were knit together ever so slightly, though he would deny it when Lara would bring it up later. All this she took note, but she saw no Richard. She jerked up quickly, too quickly, and didn’t need to wait for Mason’s soothing touch to ease her back down —the searing pain in her stomach took care of that for her.

Yelping in pain, her palms came to press against the cotton resting on her abdomen. Gingerly pushing it aside, she looked down to discover the towel hadn’t been soaked in hot water, but that warm wetness was from her very own blood.

“I’m no doctor,” Mason said, “but it looks pretty bad.”

“I’ve had worse,” Lara grumbled. Which was true, sort of. She’d never suffered a wound so deep and close to a vital organ.

“Lara, you’ve worked so hard,” Mason breathed, leaning in close and all but lying next to the adventurer to caress her face. “Can you rest? For just a minute, please? For me?”

Lara noticed the sudden softness in the photographer and couldn’t help but relax, bringing instant release to her injury. She sighed softly, feeling her lungs open up properly for the first time since regaining consciousness.

“Okay,” Lara muttered, resting completely back against the soft forrest floor. She let out a deep breath and let her consciousness slip back to her injury, assessing the damage quietly. Mason continued to attend to her, trying not to let her hands shake too much. Lara tried distracting herself with studying the details of the stars, glad at least to be under their clock than the dusty bedrock. She winced as she listened to Mason suck in sharp breaths through her teeth, doing nothing for the brunette’s piquing anxiety. The group slipped into a silence as everyone pretended not to pay attention but couldn’t help noticing each and every hiss and sharp intake of breath.

“The privates and I are going to patrol the area and make sure no one else has followed us her,” Chapman said as he came forward. “Conrad’s going to stay here and keep watch, but he promised to give you some privacy.”

Mason nodded her thanks as Chapman and his two soldiers stepped out of the clearing, and she turned her gaze back to Lara’s face.

“Lara,” she spoke finally. Lara didn’t look up, but instead rolled her head over and pressed her cheek against the damp grass.

“Hmm.”

“Look at me.”

She wouldn’t. Mason reached her hand over gingerly and cupped Lara’s cheek, pulling her gaze upwards.

“So did you find him?”

Lara felt the water well in her eyes as she nodded.

“Well, is he okay?” Mason continued, pulling out a bottle of hydrogen peroxide in an attempt to give Lara what little privacy she could when she noticed the pain in her eyes.

Lara sighed in response, feeling an impulse to pull her knees into her chest and stopping only when she felt her belly ignite.

“I barely saw him,” she replied solemnly. “I barely saw him. But he’s alive. It’s too fortified, Conrad was right. There was no way I could have gotten to him on my own. We need more manpower to come down next time.”

“Lara-”

“Mason, I’ve been through hell today. Please, just let me pretend they’ll consider it.”

Mason sighed.

“Yeah, alright, we’ll do inventory tomorrow morning and talk about it with James, see what he has to say.”

Lara nodded her thanks before turning her gaze back to the sky and swallowing what felt like cotton in her mouth.

“Here,” Mason instructed, pulling her belt out of its loops and holding it in front of Lara’s mouth. “Bite down on this.”

“Why?” Lara asked before taking the belt into her mouth.

“This is going to hurt,” Mason admitted before digging the tip of her knife into Lara’s belly.

Lara ground her teeth into the leather strap and let out a gurgling cry, her fists clenching and her boot-clad heels digging into the dirt as her arms clenched and flailed, gifting Mason with unintentional blows.

_That’ll leave some bruises, _Mason thought.__

__After a few painful minutes, she successfully dislodged the piece of glass and dropped it to the ground at Lara’s side. Lara finally relaxed, sighing into the belt and tossing her head back with a hair-raising wail. A sharp pain stabbed Mason’s heart when she noticed the tear tracks cutting through the dirt on Lara’s cheeks._ _

__“Hey,” she whispered softly, touching Lara’s face. “It’s out. That’s the hard part. Just a few stitches and you’ll be good as new.”_ _

__Lara spit the belt out in response and Mason laughed._ _

__“Thank you for helping me,” Lara whispered as Mason prepared the needle and string. “He was going to kill me.”  
“Well, he didn’t,” Mason said matter-of-factly._ _

__“Yeah, thanks to you,” Lara reminded. “I thought you didn’t like guns.”  
The needle pierced her skin suddenly and Lara yelped softly._ _

__“I don’t,” Mason replied, a little more harshly than she intended._ _

__Lara nodded, realizing she’d hit a nerve and looking back up at the stars as if asking them for a different conversation piece. But she found nothing, so she spoke again._ _

__“You hadn’t fired a gun since… the thing with your sister, right?” She asked tentatively, bracing herself for the next jab of the needle._ _

__“Right,” Mason replied curtly._ _

__“But you shot that man… for me.”_ _

__“Mhm.”_ _

__Lara’s hand came to rest on Mason’s for a moment, stilling her movement. Their eyes found each other._ _

__“Thank you.”_ _

__Mason smiled at last, nodding before continuing with the stitches._ _

__“I’m almost done, just hold still, okay?”_ _

__“You got it,” Lara grit._ _

__Finally, Mason pulled the needle out one last time and tied the string off before cutting it._ _

__“Okay, it’s over,” she sighed. “You should be fine now, just be gentle with yourself.”_ _

__“I’m sorry,” Lara sighed in shame. “I’m sorry for putting you through this.”_ _

__“Not now, Lara, don’t.”_ _

__“Yes, now. This is all my fault, I should have listened to you. But I’m not… I’m not good at thinking about how my actions affect others. You know? I jump into everything, head-first. And Mason, you have to understand. This is my dad. I was scared. I didn’t even know if he was alive. But I’m so sorry I made you… I made you-”_ _

__“You didn’t make me do anything,” Mason soothed, stroking Lara’s forehead. “And anyway, it doesn’t matter anymore. You’re safe and I’m here.”_ _

__“It matters,” Lara mumbled as her eyes began to flutter closed. “I love you and I don’t wanna… lose you…”_ _

__“What?”_ _

__“I love you,” Lara repeated before her eyes slid shut and sleep took her. Mason felt her heart in her throat._ _

__“I love you, too,” she mumbled softly._ _

__It felt silly, but it was true._ _

__XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX_ _

__When the brunette came to again, she opened her eyes and discovered her starry ceiling had been switched out for a polyester one. A tiny lantern shone brightly in the corner and bounced off the tent’s walls, illuminating the small space — it was still night. Her abdomen was sore and angry, but she was relieved to find she wasn’t alone. Opposite from the lantern in one corner, Mason was tinkering with one of her cameras she’d managed to save._ _

__“Hey,” Lara tried hoarsely, realizing how much strain she’d put her voice through. Mason heard her, though, and looked up with a smile._ _

__“Hey there, pretty lady,” Mason replied as she set down her camera and moved closer. “How are you feeling?”_ _

__“Pretty keen,” Lara chuckled sarcastically. “Do I look like shit?”_ _

__“I think,” Mason replied sincerely as she moved closer, “that you look more radiant than ever.”_ _

__“Aww, that’s bullshit,” Lara cooed._ _

__The laughter between them felt good. Things had been especially tense, and the light-hearted banter took such tremendous load off both of their shoulders._ _

__“So where are we?” Lara finally asked._ _

__“We’re about a quarter of a mile off from the cave in the bedrock where camp’s at,” Mason replied. “James had everyone spread out away from the cave in groups of two or three so that if any of Packard’s men came snooping around and found some of us, the others would have time to get away. So here we are.”_ _

__“Is anyone else nearby?” Lara asked._ _

__Understanding what Lara was asking, Mason shook her head._ _

__“Not especially, at least. Near enough where we could hear if someone screamed, I suppose. But they can’t listen to our conversations.”_ _

__Lara leaned her head back and looked at the plastic ceiling of the tent, eyes tracing the seams holding the structure together. There was so much she wanted to tell Mason, so much she wanted to apologize for, but would she ever be able to put it into words? Was there ever going to be the right time, the right place?_ _

__“Thinking pretty hard over there, princess,” Mason noticed. “Penny for your thoughts?”_ _

__“Quarter for my thoughts,” Lara bargained, still gazing upwards._ _

__“Nickle,” Mason haggled further, a playful grin tugging at the corners of her lips._ _

__“Dime, and that’s my final offer.”_ _

__Mason tossed her head back and laughed, scooting closer towards the bedridden brunette._ _

__“As soon as I get my hands on my wallet, I’ll be sure to pay up. Can you deliver in advance?”_ _

__“Fine,” Lara sighed, “but I’m going to have to charge you interest.”_ _

__Mason shut off the lantern in the corner, leaving the stars to offer what little light they could to stream through the plastic sheets of the tent. She wriggled onto the pad of blankets that Lara was situated on and snuggled into Lara’s side, propping herself up on her elbow as they came face-to-face._ _

__“What’s going on, Croft?”_ _

__Lara huffed, knowing that the playful banter had to end eventually. She blinked up at the ceiling._ _

__“I know you don’t trust me anymore.”_ _

__“What?” Mason asked. “Lara, that’s not- no, that isn’t fair. There’s a lot happening right now, and-”_ _

__“Well, I don’t blame you for it,” Lara interrupted. “I get it. I’ve been lying to you about why we’re here and how much I know. The truth is-”_ _

__Mason suddenly reached up and put a hand to Lara’s mouth, surprising the both of them. After a moment of staring at the woman across from her, she slowly lowered her arm._ _

__“Don’t tell me anything,” Mason insisted. “I was angry at first. But I think right now, the less I know, the better. And once we get off the island, you can fess up then. But for now, can we just lay here for a minute and relax? Who knows when we’ll have the chance again.”_ _

__Lara nodded in understanding, but a wary frown took her face. Mason tilted her head in concern._ _

__“What is it?”_ _

__“I don’t know how we’re going to get off this island,” Lara admitted. “I don’t know if it’ll happen, and I definitely don’t know when. I don’t think we can do it without my dad.”_ _

__Mason nodded in understanding, reaching out to brush a strand of brown hair behind the tomb raider’s ear._ _

__“I’m not supposed to tell you this tonight,” the photographer sighed. “But we’re going after Richard. Tomorrow.”_ _

__“What?” Lara gasped. “Mason, why wouldn’t you tell me that?”_ _

__“Because, you aren’t supposed to come.”_ _

__“Like hell I won’t! Honestly, do you think I’d forgive any of you anyway if I found out you’d gone after my father without me?”_ _

__Mason shook her head, smiling just barely._ _

__“No, I don’t. I was probably going to tell you in the morning and pretend you’d tortured it out of me.”_ _

__Lara finally felt relief rush through her, as if circulation were returning to her veins. Her head was clearer, heart lighter, and lungs fuller. She took in a deep breath and tore her gaze away from Mason, focusing again on the seams in the hopes that the photographer didn’t notice the small tear prickling at the corner of her eye._ _

__“We’re gonna get him back,” she whispered, almost to herself._ _

__Mason brought her hand up to Lara’s collar, tracing her fingers delicately along taught skin._ _

__“James is gonna kill me for mentioning it.”_ _

__Lara laughed and nodded._ _

__“Yeah. But I would’ve killed you for not.”_ _

__“Don’t threaten me with a good time, princess,” Mason jested, wagging her eyebrows._ _

__Lara smiled and brought her hand to Mason’s, covering the dry knuckles, skin cracked and worn from years of contact with various photo chemicals. She’d never noticed how captivated she was by those hands, how right they felt in hers._ _

__“You’re magnificent, did you know?” She asked, pulling Mason’s hand closer into her chest. Mason smiled._ _

__“I did know. But thanks for the reminder.”_ _

__Silence settled between them, but their eyes never strayed. There was an unspoken agreement between the two women — tomorrow was inevitable, and would bring various challenges and discords. It would likely bring death and destruction, and there was no guarantee of survival. But Mason owed Lara her ten cents, and Mason, for one, would be damned if she didn’t pay her debt. And for right now, right now there was tonight. Tonight, where there was nobody and nothing to concern them._ _

__Neither was sure who leaned in first, but their lips found each other in the darkness, and then eventually their hands, and finally their bodies. They found solace and comfort in each other, rocking into one another as they allowed themselves, just for a moment, to forget where they were and why._ _

__After it was done, as she drifted along the line between sleep and consciousness, Mason remembered the words Lara had muttered before falling prey to sleep’s clutches hours before. Resting her head gently on Lara’s chest, she inhaled deeply._ _

__“I don’t know if you heard me earlier,” she whispered. “But I love you, too.”_ _

__“I know, baby,” Lara mumbled sleepily, though her soft smile was audible in the darkness. “I heard you.”_ _

__“And you still love me?”_ _

__Lara chuckled, pulling Mason closer._ _

__“‘Course I do, dumbass.”_ _

__Mason snuggled easily back against Lara, fingers tracing little patterns on the raider’s skin._ _

__She was getting Lara off of this island if it killed her._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I toyed for a while with writing a real sex scene, but I got the idea that some of the readers on here may have felt detached and uncomfortable for it. I didn’t want to write something in that would feel discombobulated if one were to skip through it, but I am considering writing a full version of the scene and including it at the end of the story. Let me know if you guys would like that!!
> 
> Also, some inspiration pulled from Instagram's @galaxyalycia this chapter. Give them a like/comment/follow!!  
> xx Derby


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey friends!!! Two quick announcements: About three years ago now (holy shit) I posted a Clexa Dirty Dancing au to fanfiction.Net and I’m moving it over here to AO3, where I think it may be met with a better response. Check it out if you like, just click on my name and it’ll take you to all of my works! It should be up by the end of the week. Also, I’m starting a Harley Quinn/Poison Ivy softball au because they make me weak and it’s just been confirmed that Harlivy will officially by cannon in this newest season of the Harley Quinn animated series!! Corona works hard, but the gays work harder. This will also be posted soon! Check these fics out if they sound interesting to you.
> 
> Again, so sorry for the wait. Your patience and support is everything to me and I love hearing whatever feedback you have, even if it’s just to say you enjoyed the chapter. Love you guys so much!
> 
> xx Derby

Richard swallowed hard as he became aware of himself once more, the fog of a painful, restless sleep beginning to wear off. Blinking through already closed eyes, he couldn’t tell if the red behind them was from the sun or his own blood. As he finally eased his lids open, he discovered it was both.

Letting out a little groan as he tried to stretch his back, he became aware of the rough ropes binding him to the base of a tree, the gnarly bark digging into his muscle. He winced, shifting as he felt the ropes strain against his raw wrists, and slumped back against the wood.

A snapping twig behind him informed him of an approaching presence, and Lieutenant Packard stepped into view, holding a very familiar leather journal in his hands. Richard’s eyes bulged, recognizing the item as Lara's.

“Where did you get that?” He insisted, immediately straining against his restraints. Packard chuckled and shook his head, shaking the journal in his hands as if to chastise Richard.

“Wouldn’t you like to know, Croft?” He asked smarmily, sitting on his haunches in front of the architect.

“I would!” Richard spat, digging his heels into the mud at his feet and flicking the wet dirt in Packard’s direction. It missed him by a foot, and the lieutenant looked unimpressed.

“Here’s the deal, Croft,” Packard sighed, standing back to his feet. “We have your daughter’s journal. We have the codes. We know where the treasure is.” Jerking his head to the left, Richard followed Packard’s gaze and felt the blood drain from his face. There it was — the entrance to the lost Treasure of Lima. The bedrock at the side of a cliff had been blown out to reveal three large skulls situated in the rock, with various stones imbedded in a maze-like pattern on their foreheads. If the puzzles were solved, it would take Packard and Vogel to the treasure. Richard winced and dropped his head back against the tree.

“So, you can either solve the puzzles and get us in,” Packard shrugged. “Or we kill your daughter.”

“How do I know you have her?” Richard insisted. “I haven’t seen her.”

“Well, you don’t,” Packard attested. “That’s for sure. But with all due respect, Mr. Croft, if it were my daughter, I wouldn’t risk it.”

“Bring her to me,” Richard insisted.

Packard smiled and dropped the journal at Richard’s feet, walking away.

“You let me know when you’re ready to start cooperating, Richard. Maybe I’ll even give you a cut for your trouble!”

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Lara sucked in deeply, putting her arm through her bow and swinging it over her shoulder and on top of her sheath of arrows. Mason was closing the snap on her knife holster, and Lara could tell by the way she shifted on her feet that she was uncomfortable. It probably had something to do with the weight of the gun that was strapped to her leg. Lara had insisted on it.

“If it really makes you uncomfortable-” Lara started, but Mason was quick to interrupt.

“No, you were right. I don’t know if I’ll need it. It could save my life.”

She swallowed.

“Or yours.”

Lara nodded, approaching Mason until their knees were almost touching, wanting to say something but unable to find any words.

The time for intimacy was over. The warpaint was on, and Lara was out for blood. Mason would follow her into battle anywhere, even if she didn’t fully understand the extent of the situation.

“I need you to promise me something,” the tomb raider whispered, softly. “I need you to promise that if something happens to me, or my dad, or anyone, that you’ll leave me behind and get off this bloody island. Do you understand?”

Mason was about to object but knew it was futile. So instead, she took Lara’s hands in hers and nodded.

“Only if you promise you’ll do the same.”

Lara nodded solemnly and took in a shuddering breath, knowing this may be their last moment alone. She hoped it wouldn’t come to that, but if it did…

“You sure you don’t want to bring your camera?” Lara asked softly, in one last-ditch attempt to lighten the mood. Mason, for her credit, offered a small smile and a sharp — was that a chuckle? Then, without warning, she lunged forward and wrapped her arms around the shorter woman, pulling her close and breathing in deeply.

Lara returned the embrace, fingers tangling in the hair at the nape of her lover’s neck as her heart pounded in her chest.

“I guess it’s time, huh?” She asked Mason rhetorically. Still, Mason nodded, and the pair pulled apart, gazing at each other once more before pushing aside the flap of the tent.

In the distance, Lara spied a few other tents and the few soldiers that had followed them into the jungle gathering their arms and preparing for a fight. Chapman was overseeing everything, and Conrad was pouring over a map. Mason began to jog over to him, a good hundred or so yards away, and Lara followed after her. The distance was enough that her heart was thumping in her ears by the time they reached their makeshift army, and Lara felt her body preparing for the commitment to come.

“James,” Mason said, clearing her throat. He looked up at her, then at Lara, and did something rather odd. He pulled the brunette into a stiff, awkward hug.

Lara, for _her _credit, relaxed into the ex-captain’s embrace, surprised to find he smelled of fresh mint and the powdery deodorant he’d smartly brought along. Thank God for male hygiene, she thought to herself as she pulled away and offered him a curt smile.__

__“Mason wasn’t supposed to tell you about this,” he grumbled, shooting Mason a soft glare. “But in truth, I’m glad she did. Depending on how today goes, it may be best that you’re present.”_ _

__Lara understood the implication of the statement and nodded._ _

__“I’m happy to be of assistance. And I promise to be a team player.”_ _

__Conrad chuckled with a shake of his head. “Somehow I think you’re always going to do what you think is best,” he replied. “Alright, Chapman, round everyone up. Debrief time.”_ _

__There was Lara, Chapman, Conrad, Mason, 7 scientists and 11 soldiers. 22 in total, a weak 23 if they managed to get Richard back without any casualties. Which, of course, wasn’t a realistic scenario at all. Their estimate, considering recorded casualties and the rough scouting Lara had done, was that Packard and Vogel’s team was at least 100 strong, perhaps even twice that._ _

__“So, really fucking shitty odds,” Chapman explained in his simplest terms. Conrad rolled his eyes at his American counterpart’s language._ _

__“Yes, major, thank you for that. Lara, will you explain what you saw again?”_ _

__“Right,” Lara nodded. “They’ve found the cave where the treasure is hidden, but the only two people who know how to get in are my father and I. They’re holding him at the cave’s entrance and have two squads of soldiers watching just him. Packard and Vogel aren’t active much at the moment, they’re trying to figure out the patterns in the skulls at the entrance of the treasure. Which, of course, they can’t. It took my father years to decode it, and he had tools that are still in England, far away from here. There’s a pyro team trying to figure out how to blow up the wall in the meantime, but they won’t be able to — the wall’s made out of a titanium/tungsten blend created by the Spanish to keep the treasure concealed. So all we have to do is get my father. If we can take out the two teams silently, we should be able to get him off the island. Then, if we can go unnoticed, the helicopters are still about two miles north of Packard’s camp. We only need three helicopters to get everyone back to the ship safely. Chapman and I can fly, and if we can get my dad, that’s a third pilot. If not…”_ _

__Lara swallowed._ _

__“Well, we’re gonna try.”_ _

__“And what if we don’t go undetected?” One soldier asked. “What if we try to find Richard and they start fighting back?”_ _

__“Well-”_ _

__“Or if Richard dies? Or you or Major Chapman?” Asked a second soldier. “How do we pick and choose who gets to go home?”_ _

__“I suppose one of the pilots can come back and rescue whoever’s left-”_ _

__“Or what if we all die? Do you really think that’s worth-”_ _

__“ENOUGH!” Conrad bellowed, stepping between Lara and the onslaught of verbal attack. “We’re going after Richard. We’re trying our best. He’s the one writing your checks at the end of the day, and if it weren’t for him we’d all honestly be dead. If you’ve got a problem with it, you can stay behind on the island forever. Is that understood?”_ _

__A soft mumbling of affirmatives was his answer, and Conrad nodded._ _

__“Right then. Squadron Alpha, with me. Squadron Beta, with Miss Weaver in the middle. Squadron Charlie, take up the back with Croft and Chapman. Let’s go!”_ _

__XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX_ _

__They had not gone unnoticed._ _

__For what it was worth, they’d managed to take out one of the lookout teams before anyone noticed a thing. Mason had approached the main lookout from behind and torn his throat open with her knife while Chapman sent his own blade into another of their throats. Before the remaining pair could sound the alarm, Lara had already sent two arrows into their mouths, delivering lethal blows and silencing any screams of anguish. All four bodies slipped almost silently to the ground, and Lara felt a pang of hope in her chest. Maybe they could do it, after all._ _

__“Sights on Lord Croft,” one of the soldiers, clutching his automatic, hissed under his breath to Lara. “Permission to pursue?”_ _

__“No, not yet,” Lara whispered back. “We have to take care of the second lookout team.”_ _

__“We can’t see them,” the soldiers responded. “Maybe they’re on a break?”_ _

__“Or maybe they’re hiding, like any smart lookout would do,” Lara growled back. “Think with your big boy brain, private. We can’t just go gallivanting into enemy territory when we’re outnumbered at a possible 10 to 1.”_ _

__“Lara!” Conrad hissed from a few yards away. “We have to find them soon, or they’re going to notice their partners are down and sound the alarm.”_ _

__“I know that!” Lara spat, notching a third arrow. “Chrissake, were are they?”_ _

__Squadron Beta stayed stationary as Alpha and Charlie began to circle the camp as quietly as possible, taking cover behind trees, bushes, and tall grass as frequently as they could. Lara faltered only once, noting her father wince and shift in his restraints. He hadn’t spotted them yet, which assured her that no one else had, either. A small comfort. Unless…_ _

__Yes. Sure enough, gazing through the small branches of a low-hanging tree, Richard’s gaze caught hers just briefly. She thought she saw a small smile prick at the corner of his lips, but then his face fell into a grimace. His eyes told her to leave, to let him die._ _

__“Not today, Dad,” she whispered to herself, fingers tugging subconsciously at the string of her bow._ _

__And then, there was shouting._ _

__“Boss. Boss!” A voice cried. “I got four dead men over here! Two of them were shot with arrows. She’s here!”_ _

__Lara cursed under her breath, knowing she should have gone through the extra effort to remove her arrows. Oh, well, it was too late now._ _

__Soldiers began to pour into the space, some coming from tents and others jogging over from the treasure wall. More began to run over from seemingly nowhere, as if a tap had been turned on and an infinite number of mindless killing machines were flooding the space._ _

__“Shit. Shit shit shit,” Lara groaned, feeling panic wash over her. Distantly, through bushes, she spied the other squadrons, and her eyes found Mason’s. The photographer looked scared, and the gun was out of its holster and clutched tightly in her hands. Lara could faintly notice the woman mouth the words “I love you.”_ _

__It was too late. The time for espionage was over, now it was time to fight. Lara sucked in a breath, her hearing fogging over, as she stood up from behind the cover of the tree, sucked in a deep breath, and sent an arrow flying for Richard’s tree._ _

__It hit the rope binding him and split it in two. After a moment of writhing, Richard was free, and he made a beeline for the tree Lara was standing behind, her entire upper body exposed._ _

__“Lara Croft, you get your stupid arse down, _now _!” Richard bellowed as he lunged at her and knocked her down onto her back as the litter of gunfire began.___ _

____They were outnumbered, they knew they were outnumbered. But they had the camp surrounded, and all things considered, were doing pretty alright. Had they the advantage of height, there could’ve even been looking a possible victory. But the scientists were shaky with their borrowed weapons, and the 11 soldiers could only do so much against their counterparts of equal training, some of them they’d gone through basic training with. Lara couldn’t do much, with the weight of her father on her body._ _ _ _

____“Lara, stay down,” Richard growled. “Stay… stay _down _!”___ _ _ _

______Lara was writhing screaming, hitting with all her might. Richard was strong, though, and most of what she knew he had taught her. He pinned her down as the bullets soared above them. Lara was sure people were advancing on them, and she knew their best option was to run._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Dad, get off!” Lara cried desperately. “We can leave, we can go home!”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“No!” Richard growled. “You’ll be killed. You led these men into this, now you have to get them out! You can’t run, Lara. We can’t run.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Lara stilled, knowing her father was right. He looked at her, softly for a moment, and smiled._ _ _ _ _ _

______“You always hated being told what to do, didn’t you, Sprout?” He mused fondly, tucking a strand of her hair back into her braid. Lara opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted when she felt her father’s body go rigid against her._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Dad?” She asked desperately, looking into his eyes and seeing panic cloud them. “Dad? Dad? What’s-”_ _ _ _ _ _

______She felt the blood begin to drip onto her stomach, and she gasped sharply. Looking over his shoulder, she discovered Packard standing behind them, bloody knife in hand._ _ _ _ _ _

______“I figure, what do I need him for when I’ve got you, right?” Packard smiled._ _ _ _ _ _

______It was a dumb move, really. After years of field training, street smarts, and double-cross after double-cross, Packard should’ve known what was going to happen. But he hadn’t known love in his lifetime, hadn’t ever had children — and therein lay the rub._ _ _ _ _ _

______Lara rolled Richard off of her person with a sort of gentleness and speed that really shouldn’t have been complimentary of each other. She was on her feet, gazing into the eyes of the lieutenant, nostrils flaring._ _ _ _ _ _

______“You’re going to regret that.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX_ _ _ _ _ _

______Mason was amazed at how quickly her firing abilities returned to her. She’d polished off two magazines already, most of her bullets finding marks in the unsuspecting sheep fighting on Packard’s side before she collapsed behind a tree to reload. Looking at the rope wrapped around the base of the tree, the immediately recognized where she’d found herself. Swallowing, her eyes traveled to her left, gazing at the entrance to the Treasure of Lima. The skulls seemed to smile back at her menacingly._ _ _ _ _ _

_______Oh, fuck. ____ _ _ _ _ _

________She felt the click of the gun before she even heard it, turning her gaze to her right down the barrel of Mathias Vogel’s gun._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Hi there, Mason,” he smiled. “Stand up for me, would you?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Things were getting quiet. Mason assumed those who hadn’t died had taken cover or escaped, in search of the helicopters, praying one of the few pilots would find them and take them back to the sea. The enemy soldiers were standing confidently in the open, apparently satisfied with their odds, and the blonde realized she couldn't see Lara anywhere._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Stand up, Mason,” Vogel repeated. “Stand up and walk over to the wall.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Mason felt her feet moving underneath her as she stood._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Drop the gun.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________She did._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Great. Over to the wall, please?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Mason stepped over to the wall with the three skulls, shuddering as she found a position underneath the central one._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“What are you gonna do, you gonna kill me?” Mason asked, refusing to lift her hands into the air despite her instincts screaming at her to._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Vogel chuckled._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Eventually, yes, but not just yet. I need you.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“She’s gone, asshole!” Mason spat. “Lara isn't coming. We agreed we’d make a run for it if we got separated. You’re not getting in there. She’s gone.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“She’s loyal!” Vogel spat, breaking his unconvincing kind act. “She’ll come back for you. She’s stupid like that.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“You’re wrong,” Mason mumbled unconvincingly, knowing in her heart that he was, in fact, right._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________As if on cue, Lara stepped onto the scene, arrow notched and aimed for Vogel’s throat. An army of men behind her had their guns trained on her back, but she paid them no mind._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Let her go, Vogel!” Lara spat, arms quivering with adrenaline._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Lara, no…” Mason whispered to herself._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“I’m sorry Mason,” Lara said softly. “I know we agreed. But I’m not leaving you.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“How touching,” Vogel cooed, looking genuinely enraptured. “Miss Weaver, you really do know how to pick ‘em.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Lara, what happened?” Mason asked, looking at the blood splattered across Lara’s body._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“It's not mine,” Lara assured her, taking one step closer to Vogel. She heard a sea of guns raise behind her. “Packard is dead.” Swallowing, she bit her cheek to keep her voice steady. “So’s dad.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Aww, that’s too bad,” Vogel whimpered sarcastically. “Guess all you have left is blondie, huh? Better think about this, Lara. We could help each other. You can open the cave and save the woman you love. Then you two can take your own helicopter and get out of here! How does that sound?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Lara, no!” Mason shouted._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Let her go, Mathias,” Lara insisted, drawing the arrow back impossibly further._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Vogel sighed._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“You can shoot me, Lara, but you know I can still pull this trigger in the time it takes that arrow to reach me. You know what you have to do.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Lara, don’t listen to him!” Mason cried. “Just go. He’s going to kill us both regardless, you think he’d let us go after this?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Lara swallowed, a war raging in her head. Finally, she lowered the bow._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“I’m sorry, love,” she whispered to Mason. “I’ll fix this.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Mason groaned, and Vogel grinned._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Perfect. Now open the wall.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry, friends. Richard had to go. Lara needed the push. To be fair, I did you a real solid keeping him alive after what happened in the 2018 Tomb Raider movie!
> 
> Also!! we're getting into @galaxyalycia territory, their panels on their Instagram are incorporated heavily throughout the rest of the plot. Just three more chapters now!! Hang onto your butts <3


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